Jaipur: Rajasthan State Road Transport Corporation (RSRTC) will add 300 electric buses to its fleet by the end of the year, following the issuance of work orders to two companies.One company will supply 54 buses, while the other will provide the remaining 246. The air-conditioned buses, each with a seating capacity of 53 passengers, will operate under contract within the existing network. Officials said the buses will be equipped with push-back seats for passenger comfort.RSRTC managing director Purusottam Sharma said, “We are aiming to procure these buses between Nov and Jan. At present, only inter-state electric buses are in operation, but Rajasthan will introduce intra-state electric bus services, offering passengers a noiseless travel experience.”He said the corporation will develop charging infrastructure at bus depots before the buses are inducted. “We aim to operate the buses on routes of up to 200 km one way, enabling them to cover about 400 km in a day,” Sharma said.He added that routes will be planned so that a bus can complete a one-way journey on a full charge, recharge at the destination, and then undertake the return trip. An electric bus can travel around 240 km on a single charge.“We do not want passengers to face any inconvenience due to low battery levels. Therefore, intra-state routes will be finalised accordingly,” Sharma said.Officials said charging stations at bus depots will also be open to the public for charging electric vehicles, though priority will be given to RSRTC buses. So far, 16 locations have been identified for setting up charging stations.Officials added that the bus-owning companies will be paid Rs 34.41 per kilometer for operating the buses.
