THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Instead of buying new electric buses at a cost of Rs 1 crore, KSRTC is planning to convert existing diesel buses into electric buses. This is due to the bleak prospects of getting loans and the high cost of new electric buses.

At least 10 electric buses can be put into service at a cost of Rs 1 crore if diesel buses are modified. KSRTC MD Biju Prabhakar, who participated in the UITP Public Transport Summit held in Barcelona, ​​Spain, had a discussion with the experts in this field. If the government approves the project, the target is to convert 3000 buses into e-buses.

BMTC's diesel buses in Bengaluru will be converted into e-buses in the first phase. BMTC had decided to buy electric buses instead of new diesel buses. However, paying a huge price for it became a challenge. It was in this context that Karnataka Small scale Industries Minister MB Patil discussed the plan to convert diesel buses into electric buses with the Taiwanese company. It was this company that submitted the project to convert diesel buses into electric buses.

1000 crore German loan

With the KIIFB loan of Rs 814 crore promised by the government to buy new buses being delayed, KSRTC is putting its hope on German bank KFW. Minister Antony Raju and Biju Prabhakar had held talks with the German bank officials to get a loan of Rs 1,000 crore from them. The loan will be available if there is a guarantee from the state government and permission from the central government.