Arvind Bellad, a BJP leader, is advocating for the extension of the PM's e-Drive Scheme to include cities in North Karnataka, specifically Hubballi-Dharwad and Belagavi. He has formally requested Union Minister HD Kumaraswamy to consider these regions, emphasizing their growing transport requirements and existing infrastructure.
Bellad points out that while Bengaluru has received a significant allocation of electric buses (e-buses), other areas in Karnataka also warrant attention. His appeal highlights the need for a more equitable distribution of resources to improve public transportation across the state.
The PM e-Drive Scheme is a central government initiative aimed at promoting electric mobility by deploying electric buses in various cities across the country. The scheme has an outlay of Rs 10,900 crore for two years, running from April 1, 2024, to March 31, 2026 and plans to allocate over 14,000 electric buses to nine major cities. The broader PM-eBus Sewa scheme envisions deploying 10,000 electric buses in 169 cities through a ₹20,000 crore central outlay under a public-private partnership mode, with a total estimated cost of ₹57,613 crore. This scheme aims to support bus operations for 10 years in cities with a population of three lakh and more.
Union Heavy Industries Minister H D Kumaraswamy has confirmed that Karnataka will receive electric buses in a phased and prioritised manner under the PM E-Drive Scheme. He stated that the Ministry of Heavy Industries has received a formal proposal from the Karnataka government requesting the allocation of electric buses. Kumaraswamy assured the Karnataka government of complete support from the Centre, emphasizing the commitment to transforming public mobility across India under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership.
Karnataka Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy had previously submitted the state's request, highlighting the need for enhanced urban public transport systems in key cities. According to Reddy, as many as 11 cities in Karnataka qualify for the introduction of electric buses under the PM-eBus Sewa Scheme. These cities include Mangaluru, Mysuru, Davangere, Shivamogga, Tumakuru, Belagavi, Hubballi-Dharwad, Kalaburagi, Ballari, and Vijayapura. The three State-owned transport corporations, under whose jurisdiction these cities fall, have collectively requested a total of 795 e-buses under the scheme.
Discussions between the Union and state governments have also addressed the development of associated infrastructure, including charging stations, bus depots, and vehicle maintenance systems. Both sides are exploring implementation models to ensure a rapid rollout across identified urban clusters. In a related development, Dakshina Kannada district in-charge Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao directed the district administration to hand over seven acres of land at Pumpwell to the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) to facilitate the operation of electric buses on city routes. He also directed the Deputy Commissioner to hand over 9.9 acres of land belonging to the gram panchayat at Balepuni village near Mudipu to KSRTC for setting up an electric bus depot and constructing a divisional workshop.
