Mumbai, July 8 (IANS) With the objective of establishing an eco-friendly, modern and sustainable public transport system, the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) will convert its entire bus fleet to electric vehicles in a phased manner by 2035, Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik informed the Legislative Council during Question Hour on Wednesday.

The question was raised by member Shrikant Bharatiya, while supplementary questions were asked by members Parinay Phuke, Satej Patil, Pravin Darekar, Bhavana Gawali, Niranjan Davkhare, Uma Khapre, Sadabhau Khot, Prasad Lad and Chandrakant Raghuvanshi.

Minister Sarnaik said MSRTC has signed an agreement to procure 5,150 electric buses, of which more than 900 have already joined the fleet and are operating successfully.

Under the agreement, 172 charging stations are proposed across the state. Of these, 39 have been completed, while another 45 are expected to become operational within the next three months. MSRTC is coordinating with the company concerned to expedite completion of the remaining charging stations.

The minister also highlighted a major crackdown on private buses operating illegally within a 200-metre radius of MSRTC bus stations, stating that punitive action, including fines, has been taken against more than 200 private buses so far.

To promote eco-friendly public transport, the government has fixed a target of converting the entire MSRTC fleet to electric vehicles by 2035. The plan covers buses currently in operation, new procurements and the phased replacement of ageing buses with electric vehicles.

Once the target is achieved, Maharashtra will become the first state in the country to have a fully electric State Transport fleet, the minister said.

He further informed the House that a dedicated three-year roadmap has been prepared to strengthen MSRTC services in rural, remote and tribal areas.

An allocation of around Rs 200 crore has been made for the modernisation of bus depots and bus ports, construction of residential quarters for drivers and conductors, and development of other essential infrastructure.

Minister Sarnaik also said that the National Common Mobility Card (NCMC) facility introduced by MSRTC has received an encouraging response from commuters.

Meanwhile, Minister of State for Urban Development Madhuri Misal informed the Legislative Assembly while replying to a Calling Attention Motion that the Dahisar Transport Hub is an ambitious multi-modal transit project being developed by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). She said further work on the project would proceed only after a thorough assessment of the excavation report.

The issue was raised through a Calling Attention Motion by MLA Prakash Surve.

Misal said the project is being developed at the site of the old octroi naka in Dahisar and aims to provide an integrated transport network connecting buses, Metro services, taxis, private vehicles and pedestrians.

The project is intended to reduce traffic congestion, create a modern interstate bus terminal, provide seamless interchanges between different modes of transport and promote planned and sustainable urban development.

She said that during excavation, hard basalt rock was encountered, requiring the controlled use of explosives after obtaining all necessary permissions.

Necessary safety measures, including barricading, water sprinkling to suppress dust, traffic management and other precautions, were implemented during the work.

Following complaints from public representatives and local residents, excavation work was temporarily suspended.

In accordance with IIT Bombay guidelines, tests were conducted at the site on June 20, 2026. The report concluded that there was no threat to surrounding buildings.

Misal assured the House that the next phase of the project would commence only after the report had been fully evaluated.

–IANS

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