A'bad to wait for one and a half years for electric double-decker buses

Aurangabad, Feb 7:

A team comprising Aurangabad Smart City Development Corporation Limited (ASCDCL) officials are on a study tour to Mumbai to understand the operation and maintenance of electric double-decker in the city.

Earlier, the state environment minister Aaditya Thackeray, while in the city, has instructed the Aurangabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) and the ASCDCL to introduce double-decker in the city. The minister had also suggested

to contact the BEST organisation in Mumbai as it has experience of operating the electric double-decker.

The ASCDCL team during the interaction with BEST officers came to know that the company which provides electric double-deckers to BEST has a waiting of one and a half years. Earlier, the BEST has invited a tender to buy 900 more buses in Mumbai and there is a waiting of nine months.

It may be noted that the ASCDCL will be purchasing 20 electric double-deckers. After inviting tender, it is hoped that many companies will respond to the tender. The ASCDCL is striving its best to issue the work order before March 2022 as it will not be able to undertake any new projects under the Smart City Mission.

Presently, the ASCDCL is operating 10 buses and its 90 buses are parked under the shed. Presently, the buses are operated on the demanded routes only. It may be noted that the administration could not operate the buses in full capacity for the last two years.