Centre Clears 4,500 E-Buses for BMTC Under PM e-Drive; Tender Process Underway, Says Minister Ramalinga Reddy
Tender Issued, 44 Lakh Daily Ridership, 7,051 Buses Operational
Belagavi/Bengaluru: The Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) is set for a major fleet expansion, with the Centre approving 4,500 electric buses for the corporation under the PM e-Drive scheme, Transport and Muzrai Minister Ramalinga Reddy announced during the Legislative Council session on Monday. He clarified that the procurement would follow the GCC (Gross Cost Contract) model, and the tender process is currently underway.
Responding to a question raised by MLC H. S. Gopinath, the Minister said BMTC operates within a radius of 25 km from the BBMP limits and caters to both Bengaluru city and its extended suburbs, ensuring “efficient, safe, and accessible” public transport services.
BMTC presently runs 6,274 schedules across 1,817 routes, completing 65,934 trips daily, covering nearly 13 lakh kilometres. An average of 44 lakh passengers use BMTC services every day. As of November 2025, the corporation has 7,051 operational buses, he noted.
To generate additional non-fare revenue, BMTC has floated tenders for bus advertising rights, allowing agencies to bid for licences under specific terms. License fees and other applicable charges must be paid by advertisers.
The Finance Department has also instructed transport corporations to procure 650 buses during the current financial year. Of these, the Karnataka Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) has proposed 500 diesel buses and 144 city-service buses, and the file is under administrative review.
The Minister further revealed that BMTC has already procured 5 Volvo multi-axle seater buses and 5 multi-axle sleeper buses this year. Additionally, an order has been issued for 60 non-AC sleeper (Pallakki) buses, which will be added to the fleet by March 2026.
ಇದನ್ನೂ ಓದಿ: PM e-Drive ಯೋಜನೆ ಅಡಿಯಲ್ಲಿ BMTCಗೆ 4,500 ಇ-ಬಸ್ ಮಂಜೂರು; ಟೆಂಡರ್ ಪ್ರಕ್ರಿಯೆ ಆರಂಭ – ಸಚಿವ ರಾಮಲಿಂಗಾ ರೆಡ್ಡಿ
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