Himachal Pradesh Transport Department Will Shift to Electric Vehicles

Image: Times of India

Himachal Pradesh government has recently announced that the state’s transport department will make a complete switch from its fleet of diesel and petrol vehicles to electric vehicles. Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu led the ceremonial launch of electric vehicles for the state transportation department. While thanking the State Transport Department on the remarkable occasion, Sukhu stated that Himachal Pradesh took a lead in turning to electrical vehicles whilst other states in the country were still doing to achieve the same.

One major reason why the state government has decided to add 300 new e-buses to the existing fleet of the Himachal Road Transport Corporation (HRTC) is to reduce wasteful spending on petroleum goods. Meanwhile, it will help in conserving the pristine environment of the state.

Also Read: 5 Eco-Friendly Electric Cars for Hilly Regions

Sukhu mentioned that the authorities will gradually replace conventional diesel buses with electric buses in different phases. For now, Shimla and Nadaun bus stands will be switching to electric vehicles. Gradually, other districts will also replace traditional public transportation vehicles with electrical buses.

Following the ‘Go Green’ approach, Himachal Pradesh is well on its way to becoming India’s first Green Energy State by 2025. There will be 110 locations throughout the four-lane, state, and national highways where the electrical charging stations will be installed in phases. Additionally, the electric charging stations will be installed in 700 government buildings.

Image: Tribune

As part of their Green Energy initiative, the HP government also hopes to make the Parwanoo-Nalagarh-Una-Hamirpur-Nadaun-Dehra highway a “Clean and Green” corridor. Even the Shimla-Rampur corridor is likely to benefit from e-bus services very soon. With the introduction of these green public transportation vehicles, the state will also decrease both noise and air pollution to some extent.

Another practical reason for switching to e-buses is that HRTC has already been at a financial loss for the past few years now. Using electrical vehicles will be an excellent way to help the department reduce its cost of transportation. Hence, it will be an affordable solution for the department, as well as public transport passengers.

Via: Times of India