Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has directed officials to expedite the implementation of the Pradhan Mantri E-Bus Seva Yojana in the state, according to an official statement.
Chairing a review meeting of the Transport Department at the Secretariat, Dhami emphasized the need for timely development of electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure to support green mobility.
The Chief Minister instructed that the rollout of the scheme should begin without delay. “The process of implementing green cess on vehicles coming from other states should be expedited, and the work of bus depots under construction should be completed in a timely manner,” he said.
Dhami also directed that charging stations be set up at strategic locations. “Charging stations should be set up near bus depots, parking places, government buildings and guest houses, petrol pumps, so that the drivers can get the facility of charging easily,” he stated. He added that boosting the revenue of the Transport Corporation should remain a key focus. “Special attention should be paid to increasing the income of the Transport Corporation,” the statement added.
Providing details of the scheme, Transport Corporation Managing Director Reena Joshi said that the Pradhan Mantri E-Bus Seva Yojana will be launched initially in Dehradun and Haridwar. “Under which 150 electric vehicles will be operated,” she said. The initiative aims to offer efficient and eco-friendly public transport. “The main objective of the scheme is to provide smooth, accessible, and environment-friendly transport facilities to the citizens,” Joshi added.
In addition to cleaner transport, the initiative is expected to generate employment. “About 750 new employment opportunities will also be created by the scheme,” the statement said.
The state government is placing significant focus on electric mobility. “The state government is giving special emphasis to the development of EV charging infrastructure with the objective of promoting the use of electric vehicles and reducing air pollution,” Joshi noted.
As part of the first phase, e-vehicle charging stations have already been installed at 28 locations across Uttarakhand.