Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy has requested Union Heavy Industries Minister HD Kumaraswamy to allocate an additional 800 electric buses (EVs) to Hyderabad under the PM-E Drive scheme. The request comes in light of the growing public transport needs of the city.
In a meeting held in Delhi on Saturday, CM Revanth Reddy highlighted that 2,000 EV buses had already been sanctioned for Hyderabad. However, considering the increasing urban demand, he urged the Centre to extend the allocation by 800 more buses.
The Chief Minister also proposed adopting a hybrid Gross Cost Contract (GCC) model to ensure that Telangana RTC drivers and mechanics are involved in operating and maintaining these buses, thus preserving local employment.
Revanth Reddy further pointed out the successful retrofitting of a diesel RTC bus in Hyderabad, which is already running on electric power.
He appealed to the Union Minister to support the retrofitting of more existing diesel buses to EVs, promoting both sustainability and cost-efficiency, an official statement said.
