SHIMLA: Chief Minister, Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu asked the companies to make Himachal specific prototype electric buses for the state in time bound manner, keeping in mind various parameters like hilly terrain, loading capacity and luggage space.

In a meeting with the representatives of Electric Vehicles Manufacturing Companies held here today, he further asked the companies to incorporate modern technology and ensure quality.

To achieve the twin goals of reducing carbon footprints, making Himachal Pradesh a ‘Green Energy State’ by the year 2025 and to reduce the carbon emission, the State Government intends to replace the fleet of diesel buses of HRTC with electric buses in a phased manner and intends to ply e-buses on inter district routes.

The Chief Minister said a committee would be constituted to decide all the modalities and specifications for the proto type e-buses under the Chairmanship of Chief Secretary.

The State Government is committed to provide best and comfortable transportation services to the people of the State. 

He said that State Government is making earnest efforts to preserve and conserve the environment of the State and switching over to e-vehicles would be a milestone in this direction.

The State Government was planning to make Parwanoo-Nalagarh-Una-Hamirpur-Nadaun-Dehra highway as a 'Clean and Green' corridor and necessary infrastructure would be created in this regard, said Sh. Sukhu. 

State Transport Department is the first such department in the Country to switch over to electrical vehicles and it is the mandate of the State Government that other departments would also be provided e-vehicles in a phased manner, he added. 

Chief Secretary, Prabodh Saxena, OSD to Chief Minister, Gopal Sharma, Managing Director HRTC, Sandeep Kumar, Director Transport, Anupam Kashyap and senior officers of Transport Department and HRTC were present in the meeting amongst others.