Maharashtra govt sanctions Rs 992 crore for electric double decker buses

Mumbai: The Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) on Tuesday cleared a contract to procure 900 AC electric double-deckers buses for Mumbai on wet-lease for 12 years. The project will cost the undertaking over Rs 3,600 crore.

Minister of Tourism and Environment Aaditya Thackeray tweeted, "The BEST double-decker, now electric! CM Uddhav Thackeray and I have been personally keen on reviving Mumbai’s iconic double-decker buses."

• The BEST double-decker, now electric!
  
  CM Uddhav Thackeray and I have been personally keen on reviving Mumbai’s iconic double-decker buses. pic.twitter.com/lQkjvKlVgh

  — Aaditya Thackeray (@AUThackeray) January 27, 2022 " class="align-text-top noRightClick twitterSection" data="

  The BEST double-decker, now electric!
  
  CM Uddhav Thackeray and I have been personally keen on reviving Mumbai’s iconic double-decker buses. pic.twitter.com/lQkjvKlVgh

  — Aaditya Thackeray (@AUThackeray) January 27, 2022

  ">

  The BEST double-decker, now electric!
  
  CM Uddhav Thackeray and I have been personally keen on reviving Mumbai’s iconic double-decker buses. pic.twitter.com/lQkjvKlVgh

  — Aaditya Thackeray (@AUThackeray) January 27, 2022

Aditya Thackeray thanked BEST chairman Ashish Chemburk and General Manager Lokesh Chandra, "I thank BEST chairman AshishChemburk, GM Lokesh Chandra, and the committee of BEST for honouring our suggestion."

• I thank BEST chairman @AshishChemburk1 ji, GM Lokesh Chandra ji, and the committee of BEST for honouring our suggestion.

  — Aaditya Thackeray (@AUThackeray) January 27, 2022 " class="align-text-top noRightClick twitterSection" data="

  I thank BEST chairman @AshishChemburk1 ji, GM Lokesh Chandra ji, and the committee of BEST for honouring our suggestion.

  — Aaditya Thackeray (@AUThackeray) January 27, 2022

  ">

  I thank BEST chairman @AshishChemburk1 ji, GM Lokesh Chandra ji, and the committee of BEST for honouring our suggestion.

  — Aaditya Thackeray (@AUThackeray) January 27, 2022

He further said, "Along with Mumbai, I have requested municipal commissioners of other cities who are procuring electric buses to also add double-decker electric buses into their fleets on busy routes."

Meanwhile, BEST general manager Lokesh Chandra said, "the state government has already sanctioned Rs 992 crore to the BEST under the Maharashtra Clean Air Project for procuring e-buses, and this money will initially be used to procure the double-deckers. While the first lot of 225 double-deckers are expected this year, the next batch of 225 buses will arrive by March 2023 and the remaining 450 by June 2023."