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In a major boost to sustainable urban mobility, Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma inaugurated the 'PM-eBus Sewa' scheme in the state on Saturday.
At a ceremony held at the Amar Jawan Jyoti in Jaipur, the Chief Minister flagged off 29 modern electric buses for the capital city and simultaneously launched 18 electric buses for Bhilwara via video conferencing. Addressing the gathering, Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma stated that the initiative, introduced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in August 2023, is aimed at revolutionising public transport by prioritising electric mobility. "The operation of these buses will provide a clean, safe, and convenient public transport system for our citizens, playing a vital role in reducing environmental pollution in our cities," he said. Phased Deployment: A total of 1,150 electric buses have been sanctioned for Rajasthan. The first phase will see 675 buses becoming operational by Diwali, with an additional 475 buses planned for subsequent rollout. City Coverage: The scheme is being implemented across eight major cities, including Jaipur, Jodhpur, Udaipur, Kota, Bikaner, Bhilwara, Alwar, and Ajmer. The new buses are equipped with state-of-the-art features such as air conditioning, CCTV cameras for enhanced women's safety, and panic buttons. They are designed to offer safe and affordable travel for women, students, senior citizens, and differently-abled passengers. Future Transit Expansion: The state government is also working to deploy 555 e-buses for city transport and 50 double-decker e-buses specifically for tourism purposes. The Chief Minister emphasised that the initiative is a critical step toward realising the 'Viksit Rajasthan 2047' vision. He noted that the state's 'double-engine' government has significantly accelerated development across key sectors, including power, industry, and transportation, over the past two and a half years. Highlighting the state's commitment to environmental conservation, CM Sharma mentioned the 'Hariyalo Rajasthan' campaign, which has successfully facilitated the planting of approximately 20 crore saplings. He urged citizens to participate in the 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam' initiative to further strengthen the state's green cover. Following the flag-off ceremony, the Chief Minister conducted an inspection of the new buses, checking modern facilities including the panic buttons and CCTV systems, and took a short commute in one of the electric buses from Amar Jawan Jyoti to the State Hangar. (ANI)
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