Amaravati, April 8 Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Wednesday directed officials to study various models to reduce the operational cost of electric buses.
Currently, the operational cost of electric buses is about Rs 72 per km.
At a review meeting on roads and highways, he asked officials to explore models to bring down costs further. Key areas of focus include expanding charging infrastructure and standardising battery systems.
He also suggested that all categories of buses should gradually be switched over to air-conditioned electric buses.
In addition, he said e-cycles should be promoted as a mass transport option by creating greater public awareness.
Stating that public transport should be affordable, he observed that efficient and increased usage of electric buses is a key factor to achieve this goal.
The Chief Minister noted that clean fuel usage reduces operational costs and benefits the public. He said that through efficient solar power management, the state has already reduced electricity procurement costs by approximately Rs 1 per unit.
He called for further focus on fuel cost optimisation to deliver better services at lower costs.
Naidu directed officials to expedite the construction of national and state highways to boost economic activity across the state. He emphasised that highways should be developed to effectively connect ports within the state as well as link Andhra Pradesh with other parts of the country.
He said road maintenance must be robust and continuous. Out of the total 45,433 km of roads in the state, around 10,238 km require annual maintenance.
He stressed that potholes should be repaired immediately to avoid inconvenience to the public.
Officials were instructed to study national and international best practices in road maintenance and ensure adequate funding for Roads and Buildings works.
The Chief Minister highlighted the importance of considering geographical and climatic conditions in road construction and maintenance.
In regions with black cotton soil, particularly in the Godavari districts, he suggested adopting hybrid models such as BT or white-topping roads. For the 570 km of canal-side roads that are frequently damaged, innovative construction materials should be explored in collaboration with universities.
Keeping in view the upcoming Godavari Pushkarams, Naidu directed that road repairs be undertaken in Godavari, Krishna, and Guntur districts. In the Godavari region alone, 531 km of roads will be developed for Rs 400 crore using SASCI funds. He also instructed officials to write to the Central Government seeking special funds for Pushkarams on the lines of the Kumbh Mela.
The Chief Minister stressed the need for connecting all national highways to major ports, as ports are key centres of economic activity. Drawing parallels with Gujarat’s port connectivity model, he said Andhra Pradesh holds strategic importance on the eastern coast.
He called for the development of East-West corridors to reduce logistics costs significantly. With nearly 73 per cent of cargo currently transported by road, reducing road logistics costs is essential.
He emphasised connecting ports such as Mulapeta, Visakhapatnam, Gangavaram, Kakinada, Machilipatnam, Ramayapatnam, and Krishnapatnam with highway networks, including alternate routes linking neighbouring states.
Ministers B. C. Janardhan Reddy, Mandipalli Ramprasad Reddy, Transport Department Special Chief Secretary Krishna Babu, APSRTC Managing Director Bala Subrahmanyam, and officials from the National Highways Authority participated.
--IANS
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