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Plan luxury electric buses that can travel from Mumbai to Delhi in just 12 hours: Nitin Gadkari to automakers

Sharing his vision for the Delhi-Mumbai Express Highway, he said that his plan is to connect Nariman Point to Delhi. “70 percent of work has already been completed,” the minister informed.

ET Now Digital

Updated Aug 18, 2022, 19:56 IST

Nitin Gadkari at the launch of Ashok Leyland Electric Double Decker Bus in Mumbai

Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari On Thursday exhorted automobile players to start working towards making buses that can travel from Mumbai to Delhi in just 12 hours.

Sharing his vision for the Delhi-Mumbai Express Highway, he said that his plan is to connect Nariman Point to Delhi. “70 percent of work has already been completed,” the minister informed.

The minister was speaking at a launch event of Ashok Leyland Electric Double Decker Bus named Switch EiV 22 in Mumbai on Thursday.

Launching the electric bus, the Union road transport and highways minister said, "There is a need to transform the country's transport system, looking from a long-term perspective. With a focus on reforming urban transport, we are trying to build a low carbon footprint and high passenger density integrated Electric Vehicle (EV) mobility ecosystem.“

With growing consumer demand for greener transport solutions, the government's vision and policies aim to encourage higher adoption of electric vehicles, he added.

As per Ashok Leyland, Switch EiV 22 is India's first and unique electric double decker air-conditioned bus, which has been designed, developed and manufactured in India. The company informs that Switch EiV 22 is equipped with the latest technology, ultra-modern design, highest safety and best-in-class comfort features.

Gadkari said that electricity as an automobile fuel is highly cost-effective, when compared other fuels like diesel. “Import of crude oil is a big challenge for the Government. Use of solar power has reduced the cost of electricity to a large extent.”

Pitching for electricity as an alternative fuel, the union minister said 35 percent of pollution in the country is due to diesel and petrol. In this context, he highlighted the need for import-substituting, cost-effective, pollution-free and indigenous products. “It is time for India to start using alternative fuels like electricity, ethanol, methanol, bio-diesel, bio-CNG, bio-LNG and green hydrogen for automobile sector”.

Sharing his plans for the automobile industry, Gadkari said, “My dream is to make the automobile industry from the current size of Rs 7.5 lakh crore to Rs 15 lakh crore by the end of the year 2024.”

This is an achievable target, he added. The minister observed that the sector has maximum employment potential and gives maximum taxes to central and state governments.

The Switch electric double decker can ferry nearly twice the number of seated passengers as compared to a single-decker bus, with just 18 percent increase in kerb weight (without the passengers).

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