<p>Though Hubballi-Dharwad could not become the first city in Karnataka to have electric buses under the Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS), the North-Western Karnataka Road Transport Corporation (NWKRTC) has now planned to get 50 electric buses to be operated and maintained by the private players themselves.<br /><br />After the plan to have e-buses under BRTS was dropped due to the Covid situation, which also did not allow passenger load of the BRTS to cross one lakh per day, the hire-like plan to have electric buses in public transport in the twin cities has taken birth. This time not for the BRTS, but for intra-city and inter-city routes which would have conductors of the NWKRTC only.<br /><br />Karnataka has already launched e-buses through BMTC in Bengaluru, and now, the meeting of board of directors of the NWKRTC has decided to implement a similar plan with 50 e-buses. A decision in this regard was taken at the board meeting chaired by NWKRTC Chairman V S Patil, and it was also decided to submit a proposal to the Transport Department shortly to get the government's nod. This move has gained importance at a time when the NWKRTC needs more buses to expand its services as it did not have new buses in the last two years, and there is a restriction on purchasing new buses due to austerity measures.<br /><br />"We will not purchase e-buses. After getting the government's approval, tenders would be called for suppliers who have to supply nine metre-long non-AC e-buses for fixed years. Driver, maintenance, charging and other maintenance would be their responsibility. NWKRTC would have its conductors, and the operator would be paid based on kilometres run every day," explained NWKRTC Managing Director Gurudatta Hegde.<br /><br />E-buses would not just be eco-friendly, but would also be cheaper along with the government's incentive and growing technology, and would also improve connectivity. It is being planned to run them to different localities in the twin cities, and if possible, on feasible inter-city routes like Hubballi-Belagavi, he told <em>DH</em>.<br /><br /><b>Land on PPP</b><br /><br />The NWKRTC, which is under loss continuously, has come up with a plan to get some revenue by allowing public-private partnership (PPP) projects on its prime land in major cities of Hubballi-Dharwad and Belagavi.<br /><br />Around 20 such places having over 20 acres of land have been identified. After getting the government's approval, private firms would be invited to develop projects like hospitals, commercial complexes and other projects with several conditions including the duration of the project, and the NWKRTC would get revenue, officials said.<br /><br />Commenting on the issue of shop-keepers not showing interest to come to shops in the recently-built CBT complex in Hubballi due to the high rate of rent, Gurudatta Hegde noted that the rent would be revised. Some of the NWKRTC offices can also be shifted there so that their existing place can be used for PPP projects or rented out for revenue, Hegde added.</p>.<p><strong>Watch the latest DH videos:</strong></p>
<p>Though Hubballi-Dharwad could not become the first city in Karnataka to have electric buses under the Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS), the North-Western Karnataka Road Transport Corporation (NWKRTC) has now planned to get 50 electric buses to be operated and maintained by the private players themselves.<br /><br />After the plan to have e-buses under BRTS was dropped due to the Covid situation, which also did not allow passenger load of the BRTS to cross one lakh per day, the hire-like plan to have electric buses in public transport in the twin cities has taken birth. This time not for the BRTS, but for intra-city and inter-city routes which would have conductors of the NWKRTC only.<br /><br />Karnataka has already launched e-buses through BMTC in Bengaluru, and now, the meeting of board of directors of the NWKRTC has decided to implement a similar plan with 50 e-buses. A decision in this regard was taken at the board meeting chaired by NWKRTC Chairman V S Patil, and it was also decided to submit a proposal to the Transport Department shortly to get the government's nod. This move has gained importance at a time when the NWKRTC needs more buses to expand its services as it did not have new buses in the last two years, and there is a restriction on purchasing new buses due to austerity measures.<br /><br />"We will not purchase e-buses. After getting the government's approval, tenders would be called for suppliers who have to supply nine metre-long non-AC e-buses for fixed years. Driver, maintenance, charging and other maintenance would be their responsibility. NWKRTC would have its conductors, and the operator would be paid based on kilometres run every day," explained NWKRTC Managing Director Gurudatta Hegde.<br /><br />E-buses would not just be eco-friendly, but would also be cheaper along with the government's incentive and growing technology, and would also improve connectivity. It is being planned to run them to different localities in the twin cities, and if possible, on feasible inter-city routes like Hubballi-Belagavi, he told <em>DH</em>.<br /><br /><b>Land on PPP</b><br /><br />The NWKRTC, which is under loss continuously, has come up with a plan to get some revenue by allowing public-private partnership (PPP) projects on its prime land in major cities of Hubballi-Dharwad and Belagavi.<br /><br />Around 20 such places having over 20 acres of land have been identified. After getting the government's approval, private firms would be invited to develop projects like hospitals, commercial complexes and other projects with several conditions including the duration of the project, and the NWKRTC would get revenue, officials said.<br /><br />Commenting on the issue of shop-keepers not showing interest to come to shops in the recently-built CBT complex in Hubballi due to the high rate of rent, Gurudatta Hegde noted that the rent would be revised. Some of the NWKRTC offices can also be shifted there so that their existing place can be used for PPP projects or rented out for revenue, Hegde added.</p>.<p><strong>Watch the latest DH videos:</strong></p>