In a major boost to green mobility and sustainable public transport, Jammu and Kashmir is set to receive 200 electric buses under the Centre’s PM E-Drive Scheme for deployment across tourism and pilgrimage routes in ecologically sensitive and hilly regions of the Union Territory.
The development comes after Union Minister for Heavy Industries and Steel H. D. Kumaraswamy formally conveyed the approval through an official communication addressed to Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
According to official sources, the proposal for the allocation of electric buses was submitted by the Jammu and Kashmir government following a request from Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who had sought additional support to strengthen eco-friendly public transport infrastructure in the Union Territory.
The 200 e-buses are expected to operate on routes connected to major tourist and pilgrimage destinations, particularly in environmentally fragile and high-altitude areas where rising vehicular emissions have become a growing concern.
Officials said the initiative aims to reduce carbon emissions, promote clean mobility and improve public transport connectivity in regions that witness heavy tourist movement during peak travel seasons.
The Union Ministry’s communication further stated that Convergence Energy Services Limited (CESL) has been directed to include 200 electric buses for Jammu and Kashmir in the next tender to be floated under the PM E-Drive Scheme.
The scheme forms part of the Centre’s broader strategy to accelerate the adoption of electric mobility and reduce dependence on fossil fuel-based transportation systems across the country.
The approval is being viewed as a significant step forward for Jammu and Kashmir’s public transport sector, which has already begun efforts to modernise its transport fleet through multiple electric mobility initiatives.
