Bengaluru-
It’s official: Karnataka wants in on the e-bus parade, and the Centre’s giving a green (and silent) nod.
In a move that could one day lead to cleaner air and quieter honks, the Karnataka Government has formally filed its request with the Ministry of Heavy Industries for a fresh fleet of electric buses under the PM E-Drive scheme. Think fewer emissions, and more whisper-quiet whirrs on Bengaluru’s Outer Ring Road traffic jams.
Union Minister for Heavy Industries and Steel — and resident electrical enthusiast — H.D. Kumaraswamy, responded with full voltage: “Karnataka will definitely receive buses. Not just because I’m from there,” he quipped, “but because under PM Modi Ji’s leadership, the future of public transport is battery-powered and Bharat-charged.”
Karnataka Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy, who handed over the official request, stressed that cities like Bengaluru, Mysuru, and Hubballi-Dharwad need greener fleets, stronger infrastructure, and passengers who can hear themselves think during bus rides.
According to insiders, the plan is to distribute 14,000 electric buses to 9 major cities across India under the PM E-Drive initiative — and Karnataka is now queued up like a well-behaved commuter with a valid metro card. Kumaraswamy assured a phased rollout, complete with charging stations, depots, and some serious megawatt motivation.
“This isn’t just a bus. It’s a symbol of how far we’ve come from bullock carts to battery charts,” Kumaraswamy added, attempting to coin a phrase no one was expecting.
With an outlay of ₹10,900 crore and a two-year deadline (April 2024–March 2026), the PM E-Drive initiative has set itself the goal of making public transport cooler (literally), cleaner, and less likely to wake sleeping infants stuck in traffic.
Whether Karnataka’s e-buses will feature reclining seats, mood lighting, or onboard yoga sessions remains to be seen. But one thing is certain — the wheels on the (electric) bus are going round and round… very, very quietly.
