Carbon fix: One in every five BMTC buses on road is electric

BENGALURU: With the inclusion of new electric buses to the BMTC fleet, one in five buses operating across the city is now electric. Accordingly, BMTC plans to do away with 2,78,212 kg of carbon emissions per day soon, when the rest of the ordered e-buses come in. Tackling pollution is a key issue behind this move by BMTC to electrify its fleet. Every bus has a shelf life, beyond which it must be scrapped; a great number of diesel buses on the road are heavy polluters, and adding new diesel buses would have made the matter worse. BMTC is operating 1,575 electric buses as of September 11, and reducing carbon emission of about 2,39,144 kg per day. After the complete supply of the ordered fleet, which is 1,779 electric buses (204 more e-buses), 2,78,212 kg of carbon emissions will be reduced per day (as compared to an equal number of diesel buses), says BMTC Chief Traffic Manager (Operation) Prabhakar Reddy. Reddy said that though all diesel buses will not be replaced by electric ones, it will still have an impact on the environment. At present, 5,437 diesel buses are being operated. If more diesel buses are not inducted in the future, all such existing buses will have been scrapped by 2038, asserted Reddy. However, with the number of accidents involving BMTC buses, the prospect of giant, noiseless vehicles creeping up unnoticed, certainly does not bode well. Will simulated engine noise help? Mobility expert Ashish Verma said, It is early to say if there is any noticeable threat due to electric buses. A simple use of horns could suffice.