Srinagar: The Government of India’s initiative of electric vehicles on roads for lowering air pollution has come to a standstill in Kashmir. About 20 electric vehicles, operating since 2019, remain parked at Lal Chowk since Nov 19, when the traffic department barred them from operating on the city roads.
The ambitious eco-friendly bus project was aimed at reducing the pollution levels, regulating the bus fare prices, and generating revenue for the loss-making Jammu and Kashmir State Road Transport Corporation (JKSRTC). But now, Habibullah Reshi, Deputy General Manager JKSRTC, told Kashmir Reader, “It was smooth until November 19, when the traffic department barred us, first for the reason that we had no permits to ply on the city roads, and second, that the buses caused traffic jams.”
Habibullah said that the STRC showed an order of GoI, authorising the vehicles to run without permits, to the traffic department. After that, he said, the department said the buses were creating traffic jams.
“Now the buses are lying in a yard. We have raised the issue with our higher-ups but nothing has come out of it so far,” he added.
The SRTC has recorded over Rs 100 crore losses in the last six years. The losses of the corporation were pegged at Rs 13.73 crore in 2015-16. In 2014-15, the corporation suffered Rs 21.65 crore losses, in 2013-14 Rs 16.97 crore. A high-level committee to examine alternative models/options to make SRTC economically viable and self-reliant was also constituted a few years ago.
Habibullah told Kashmir Reader that every day, the buses were generating revenue of Rs one lakh for the SRTC. “People were also relieved as the fares were 60 percent lower,” he said, adding that the cost of each bus is about Rs 1 crore.
SSP Traffic Javaid Koul told Kashmir Reader that the buses have been disallowed on only a few bottleneck routes. Asked if there was an order from the Chief Secretary for such routes, he said, “This is all I have to say.”
Divisional Commissioner Kashmir PK Pole did not answer calls from this newspaper.
The electric buses project started under the Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of (Hybrid &) Electric Vehicles (FAME) initiative across India, to promote the culture of electric vehicles in India. JK got its share of 40 buses, 20 each for Kashmir and Jammu. Inaugurated by the then chief secretary, the vehicles started to operate in 2019.

Junaid Nabi Bazaz