Tourists from across India and abroad can now travel in e-bus in the holy city of Kurukshetra – CM
Punjab Newsline, Chandigarh -
Haryana CM Nayab Singh Saini on Tuesday dedicated an electric bus service to the citizens of Kurukshetra by flagging off 10 e-buses. The Chief Minister, along with former Minister, Subhash Sudha, travelled in an e-bus from Jyotisar to Kurukshetra University. On this occasion, the Chief Minister said that citizens will be able to travel free of cost in these e-buses till Diwali. The Chief Minister was speaking at a programme organised by the Haryana State Transport Department at Jyotisar.
The Chief Minister said that these e-buses will operate on different routes, benefiting not only local residents but also tourists from across the country and abroad. During major events like the International Gita Mahotsav, Surya Grahan Mela etc. pilgrims and tourists will be able to use this e-bus service. He said that the State Transport Department of Haryana has decided to run eco-friendly electric bus services under the Government of India’s National Electric Mobility Mission 2020 in Haryana and its neighboring states.
The Chief Minister further said that to strengthen public transport services, the government has decided to purchase 50 electric buses each for 10 municipal corporations — Panchkula, Ambala, Yamunanagar, Karnal, Panipat, Sonipat, Rohtak, Hisar, Gurugram, and Faridabad — totaling 500 buses. Besides this, Rewari will receive 50 buses due to its proximity to Delhi, Gurugram, and nearby suburban areas. Under the Gross Cost Contract (GCC) model, the department has decided to purchase 375 standard-floor 12-meter air-conditioned e-buses.
The Chief Minister said that electric bus services have already been launched in Panipat, Yamunanagar, Karnal, Panchkula, Hisar, Rohtak, Rewari, and Sonipat (five each), and in Ambala (ten buses). Now, ahead of the auspicious festival of Diwali, this eco-friendly city bus service has been introduced in Kurukshetra for devotees and pilgrims. He described it as a major milestone for the state government, marking Haryana as one of the first states in the country to implement such a unique project. This city bus service will not only benefit residents of Kurukshetra but will also ensure zero air and noise pollution. Separate city bus depots are being constructed in all 10 cities to support the operation of these 375 buses, with the Panipat depot already completed and the Yamunanagar depot nearing completion, he added.
Director General, Department of State transport, Sujan Singh, said that four routes have been identified for these buses, covering Jyotisar, Pehowa, Shahabad, and Ismailabad. Two buses will operate between Pipli and Jyotisar. The routes have been finalized jointly by the district administration and the Kurukshetra Development Board (KDB). He said that this service will make travel much more convenient for citizens. Earlier, the e-bus service has already been successfully launched in nine districts.