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JBM Auto, Tata Motors among five manufacturers to give presentation to MMRDA chief

BKC hybrid bus plan on track

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Although the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has kept plans for a dedicated bus lane project within Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC) on hold, some progress has been made in procuring hybrid buses to fill in the commuting gap that currently exists between BKC and the three nearby railway stations – Bandra, Kurla and Sion.

"Some bus manufacturing companies have come forward and given presentation to the metropolitan commissioner on the hybrid buses that we have been planning for some time now," said an MMRDA official.
The companies that have shown interest include JBM Auto, Tata Motors, Volvo and HMTD. In all, five private players are ready to provide hybrid buses. Hybrid buses are those that operate on diesel as well as electricity, depending upon the need and charge left in the battery.

However, the authorities are yet to take a final call on the type of buses, that is, if the coach should be completely electric or a combination of diesel and electric or only diesel.

In case it is hybrid, the MMRDA will have to set up related infrastructure of having charging points inside the business district of BKC.

Earlier, the plan was to go ahead with 'Request For Proposal' from these five players by December end, but the same is likely to be revised to early 2015. In September, the development authority had invited 'Expression of Interest' from companies to supply the buses.

The primary plan is to have buses of two sizes – 25 seaters and 40 seaters. Purchasing tickets can be done either from the conductor on board or from the ticket vending machine fixed inside the bus.

The idea to get buses dedicated for the central business district was first formulated in November 2011. Since then several changes have been made to the plan, right from having air-conditioned buses to normal ones to their capacity etc.

As a temporary measure, the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport Undertaking (BEST) had started operating BKC special buses by charging a flat fare of Rs 10.

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