The Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) will hire 5,150 electric buses, buy 2,000 diesel buses and convert 5,000 vehicles from diesel to LNG, the decisions being taken in the state-run undertaking’s directors’ board meeting.
A release from the office of Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, who is chairman of MSRTC, said he had approved in principle a plan to take a loan from the Asian Development Bank for electric buses. In the 302nd meeting of the board of directors, Shinde also said it is necessary that MSRTC, which is the lifeline of the state, gets a facelift, and asked officials to provide quality service to the passengers as well as maintain cleanliness of buses, the release added.
Five thousand buses running on diesel will be converted to operate on liquefied natural gas (LNG) fuel, which will be supplied at a rate 20 to 25 percent lower than the prevailing rate of diesel, it said. This work will be done by the supplier company and, initially, the MSRTC will not have to make any investment.
According to the release, the limit of additional gratuity to the heirs of employees who died while in service has been increased to Rs 7.05 lakh from Rs 6.15 lakh under the additional gratuity and employee deposit linked insurance scheme.