Not to be ‘retired: Old diesel buses to ply in new electric avatar
Two diesel buses go electric at Kanpur workshop; trial to begin on Jhansi–Lalitpur route, transport department working on plan to add 5,000 electric buses to its fleet
The Uttar Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (UPSRTC) has begun converting old diesel buses into electric vehicles. Minister of State for Transport Dayashankar Singh said that two buses have already been converted into electric vehicles at the Ram Manohar Lohia Workshop in Kanpur. These buses will undergo trial runs on the Jhansi–Lalitpur route, a government spokesperson said.
As per UPSRTC policy, diesel buses are ‘retired’ after 10 years or 11 lakh kilometres and are usually auctioned. By retrofitting these buses instead, the department will save on new purchases. Private firms like Kalyani Powertrain and Zero21 are covering retrofit costs, while UPSRTC will handle bus body construction—significantly lowering capital expenditure.
The minister said that this initiative will help curb pollution and contribute to a cleaner environment. The Transport department is working on a comprehensive plan to add 5,000 electric buses to its fleet. Recently, 220 electric buses, including 20 air-conditioned double-decker buses, were procured and deployed for the Mahakumbh.
