The Himachal Pradesh government, led by Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, is committed to establishing sufficient charging infrastructure in and around Shimla to support the operation of e-buses and transform the city into a “Green City.” To facilitate this, the Himachal Road Transport Corporation (HRTC) has initiated the process of installing five new charging stations for the 70 e-buses operating in Shimla. The HRTC has already allocated around Rs 3.63 crore to the state electricity board for the installation of transformers required for these charging stations.
Additionally, the HRTC has issued tenders for the procurement of 75 new electric buses. The chief minister emphasized that the existing fleet of more than 1,500 buses operated by the HRTC will be gradually replaced with electric buses, necessitating the development of suitable charging infrastructure.
To ensure convenient charging facilities for buses operating within a 40 km radius of Shimla, new charging points will be established at Taradevi, Tutikandi Crossing, Lalpani, Junga, and Theog. Moreover, the capacity of the existing 1,000 KVA charging station in Dhalli will be increased to 2,000 KVA. The electricity board will provide transformers for all the charging stations, and e-bus chargers will be installed accordingly.
As part of the Smart City Mission, Shimla city has already received 20 e-buses, expanding its fleet from 50 to 70. Six buses have been allocated to both New Shimla and Sanjauli sectors, while eight buses have been assigned to the bus stand sector. Since these 70 e-buses primarily operate on local routes within the city, the public transportation system in Shimla will undergo a complete transformation, contributing to a cleaner and pollution-free environment in the state capital.
