05-07-2025
- Automotive
- Hindustan Times
After Bengaluru gets 4,500 e-buses, MLA asks H.D. Kumaraswamy to extend scheme to North Karnataka
In a bid to bridge the transportation infrastructure gap in North Karnataka, Arvind Chandrakant Bellad, MLA from Hubballi-Dharwad West and Deputy Leader of Opposition in the Karnataka Assembly, has written to Union Heavy Industries and Steel Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy seeking the allocation of electric buses under the PM e-Drive initiative to underserved cities in the region. Hubballi MLA Arvind Bellad(Wikipedia)
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What Bellad wrote in the letter?
In his letter, Bellad welcomed the central government's push for sustainable public transport and acknowledged the allotment of around 4,500 electric buses to Bengaluru under the initiative. However, he stressed that rapidly growing cities in North Karnataka, such as Hubballi-Dharwad, Belagavi, Kalaburagi, Ballari, and Vijayapura, are in urgent need of enhanced public transportation systems and should also receive their fair share of electric buses.
'These districts are witnessing increasing transport demand and would greatly benefit from green mobility solutions, both in terms of environmental impact and economic development,' Bellad stated.
The MLA argued that many North Karnataka cities already have the basic infrastructure in place for such a rollout, including KSRTC depots and BRT corridors, which would allow for a swift and cost-effective deployment of electric buses. He added that equitable distribution of the PM e-Drive fleet would help address the regional imbalance in state-level infrastructure.
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Bellad also pointed out that the move would boost local employment, strengthen the electric vehicle (EV) ecosystem, and support the broader goals of the National Clean Air Programme. He urged the Centre to consider these factors while expanding the program beyond Bengaluru.
'This step would reflect the government's commitment to inclusive growth and ensure balanced development across Karnataka,' he concluded.
The PM e-Drive scheme is part of the Centre's green mobility push, aimed at reducing vehicular emissions and promoting cleaner modes of public transport across India.
