Mumbai: Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari inaugurated India's first AC double-decker electric bus in Mumbai on Thursday.
These 65-seater buses will replace the existing double-decker fleet of the civic-run undertaking after undergoing registration and requisite tests, officials said.
The bus has red below the lower deck windows on all sides, but most of the upper deck is painted black and the latter dominates as the windows also have a strong black tint.
Taking to his Twitter handle, Gadkari said, "Ushering Sustainable Revolution! It gives me immense pleasure to launch the Ashok Leyland's Electric Double-Decker Bus in Mumbai today."
The minister also said the initiative will give a dynamic boost to the sustainable transport sector.
"Giving Dynamic Boost to the sustainable transportation sector, such initiatives are cost-effective solutions & achieve PM Shri Narendra Modi Ji's vision of Aatmanirbhar Bharat by cutting down oil imports and promoting indigenous resource & services," the minister said in another tweet.
Gadkari added that the government's vision and policies are supportive of EV adoption with growing consumer demand for greener solutions.
Existing double-decker buses have a single wide door, while some conventional buses with double doors had seen one of them being sealed by authorities.
Manufactured by Switch Mobility Ltd (Switch), the electric double-decker has more capacity and can carry nearly twice the number of seated passengers as compared to a single-decker bus.
The interior of the new double-decker buses set to be introduced are white with green-hued seats with belts, and passenger amenities include laptop and mobile phone charging points and a passenger address (PA) system.
(agencies inputs)
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