Bengaluru to Receive 4,500 Electric Buses Under PM e-Drive Scheme
Bengaluru is set to receive 4,500 electric buses, the highest allocation among five cities, under the Union government’s INR 10,900 crore PM e-Drive scheme. Delhi will receive 2,800 buses whereas Hyderabad, Ahmedabad and Surat will receive 2,000, 1,000 and 600 electric buses, respectively.
July 09, 2025. By Mrinmoy Dey
The allocation follows a pan-India tender floated by Convergence Energy Services Ltd. (CESL), a subsidiary of EESL, under the Gross Cost Contract (GCC) model as outlined by the Ministry of Heavy Industries. The tender, issued last month, seeks to procure, operate, and maintain 10,900 electric buses across five major cities, with Bengaluru set to receive the largest share.
In May 2025, the Ministry of Heavy Industries received a formal proposal from the Government of Karnataka seeking allocation of electric buses under the centrally sponsored PM E-Drive initiative. Karnataka Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy submitted the state's request, citing the need for enhanced urban public transport systems in key cities.
Subsequently, the Ministry of Heavy Industries confirmed the allocation of approximately 4,500 electric buses to Bengaluru, 2,000 to Hyderabad, 2,800 to Delhi, 1,000 to Ahmedabad, and 600 to Surat.
The PM e-Drive initiative aims to deploy a total of 14,028 electric buses across India with a financial outlay of INR 10,900 crore over two years, from April 2024 to March 2026.
In addition to bus procurement, the scheme envisions the installation of over 72,000 EV charging stations across cities and national highways to tackle range anxiety and encourage EV adoption.
Discussions are currently underway between the Centre and state governments to finalise execution strategies, including land allocation for depots, utility upgrades, and operations planning.
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