The Union Territory of Chandigarh has secured approval for 328 new electric buses under the Centre’s PM-eBus Sewa Scheme, marking the highest allocation among 20 participating cities.
The sanction was granted by the Central Sanctioning and Steering Committee (CSSC) under the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA), which approved 2,079 e-buses nationwide out of the 4,886 proposals received.
With 80 e-buses already operational in the city, this fresh allocation is set to replace nearly the entire public bus fleet of about 400 buses with electric vehicles. The move is expected to significantly reduce emissions and promote cleaner urban mobility.
Importantly, the acquisition will be fully funded by the central government, ensuring no financial burden on the Chandigarh administration.
The approval follows strong advocacy from Punjab Governor and Chandigarh UT Administrator Gulab Chand Kataria, who had pushed for the city’s inclusion during discussions with central housing ministry officials.
This initiative will also help phase out ageing diesel buses nearing the end of their operational life, aligning with India’s broader goal of adopting sustainable and eco-friendly public transport solutions.