Increasing pollution levels in India’s tier-I cities are the talk of the hour. After Delhi, it is Mumbai who struggles to survive amid steady effluxes of polluting gases from vehicles. While these gases have been proven harmful, given their particulate constituents, their emissions are continuously on the rise. The number of private vehicles per kilometer of Mumbai’s roads in June 2017 was a shocking 430 as reported by the Times of India. Though public transport is readily available most people opt for the comfort and convenience of private vehicles. To address to the pressing issue of pollution and urge citizens to choose public transport, Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport, better known as BEST, has recently launched a brand new set of buses.
Four new BEST buses that are battery operated, and consequently zero-emission, shall hit the roads running by the end of this month, according to this report by Hindustan Times. Fitted with lithium ion batteries, the buses need three hours to charge fully. Once charged, they can cover a distance of 300 kilometers. The buses are presently parked at Backbay Depot in Colaba, where a special charging facility has been created for them. Air-conditioning inside these buses shall ensure thorough comfort for the passengers throughout the journey.
After their registration at the regional transport office, the buses shall initially traverse only the island city and not the suburbs. Hindustan Times reported that ‘The BEST will get six battery operated buses, of which four are modelled on the China-made BYD K-7 bus, while the other two are of the Indian-made VE Skyline Pro model.’ From their budget, the total amount dedicated by BEST to seek these buses is INR 10 crores. With the launch of these zero-emission, air-conditioned buses, BEST has certainly taken a massive step toward reducing air pollution in the City.
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