PM inaugurates electric bus service for MPs

“Discussions of environment have been taking for long, but for the last few years, its negative impact has been felt on normal human lives…There is a challenge before the mankind to find a solution to this problem”, Modi said. The initiative is a part of the initiative by Ministry of Road Transport and Highways towards contributing to environmentally clean pollution free and cost effective transport. US, France and India have together taken this initiative.

The Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to finalize arrangements for the delivery of Mi-25 gunship helicopters to Afghanistan during his visit to Kabul for the inauguration of the new Afghan parliament building, it has been reported.

He also lauded the role of ISRO scientists who have developed the indigenous lithium ion battery at a cost of barely Rs500,000-600,000 in comparison to a huge Rs5 million for the imported ones as the patent is being registered. He called upon Parliamentarians to make maximum use of the retrofitted buses and make them popular. They can bring this kind of bus for public transport through their StartupIndia and StandupIndia campaign.

The converted buses will cost about one-fourth of the cost of a new electric bus. The project will demonstrate the Government’s commitment to reduce vehicular pollution while opting for strong environment friendly mobility solutions.

The source said project involves about Rs. 10 crore expenditure and after the success of the pilot project steps would be taken for conversion of existing diesel buses across the country.

In the latest review, conducted by India’s Secretary of Urban Development Madhusudan Prasad and the Central Public Works Department (CPWD), it was found that 96 per cent of the work has been completed and the project team is putting final touches to the building. Ten more buses are proposed to be retrofitted for use by State Transport Undertakings by March 2016.

Speaker of the Lok Sabha Mrs. Sumitra Mahajan, Union Ministers Mr. Nitin Gadkari, Mr Venkaiah Naidu, Mr. Prakash Javadekar, and a large number of MPs were present on the occasion.