The Jammu and Kashmir government is all set to launch a fleet of 200 electric buses equipped with state-of-the-art facilities, including a real-time tracking system, in both capital cities of the union territory, an official said on Saturday.
The move to introduce 100 eco-friendly buses each in Jammu and Srinagar is aimed at reducing air and noise pollution and dependence on fossil fuels, as well as to provide better facilities to the people, he said.
The official said the buses will be procured under the second phase of central scheme Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Hybrid and EV (FAME II), and tenders have been floated for the procurement.
“The electric bus service will encourage commuters to shift towards the public transport system,” he said.
Introduction of the high-tech buses will also boost revenue generation as more viable and lucrative routes will be included in the operational network of transportation, the official added.
These buses will be equipped with modern features like a real-time passenger information system (PIS), panic buttons for emergency, automatic bus vehicle location system, CCTV cameras, public address systems, stop request buttons and online collection of fares through various mediums.
“The Intelligent Transport Management System (ITMS) of buses will be connected with the Integrated Command and Control Centre (ICCC) of Jammu Smart City Limited (JSCL) and Srinagar Smart City Limited (SSCL) simultaneously,” the official said.
Fares will be collected through a variety of options like cash, smartcards and QR codes, he said.
An online monitoring platform will be created at the city level for these buses to monitor relevant parameters, including running kilometres, equivalent fuel saved in litres per day, and equivalent carbon dioxide reduction per day, the official said.
Officials said the Jammu and Kashmir Road Transport Corporation (JKRTC) will be rolling out the ITMS by April 30.
In the first phase, online ticket booking facilities will be provided, they said.
