Central Government Confirms Electric Bus Allocations For Five Major Cities Under PM e-Drive Scheme

Union Minister for Heavy Industries and Steel, H.D. Kumaraswamy, led a meeting focused on the implementation of the PM e-Drive Scheme. The meeting involved representatives from Telangana, Karnataka, Delhi and Gujarat. The discussion covered progress and coordination for the deployment of electric buses in urban areas.

According to the Ministry of Heavy Industries, the current phase of the scheme will include the following allocations:

• Bengaluru: 4,500 electric buses
• Hyderabad: 2,000 electric buses
• Delhi: 2,800 electric buses
• Ahmedabad: 1,000 electric buses
• Surat: 600 electric buses

These numbers form part of a larger plan to deploy 14,028 electric buses across the country.

The PM e-Drive Scheme aims to introduce 14,028 electric buses by March 2026. The initiative has a total financial outlay of Rs 10,900 crore and is scheduled to run from April 2024 to March 2026.

Union Minister, H.D. Kumaraswamy said, “Thanks to the leadership of Hon’ble Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India is now taking bold strides toward sustainable urban mobility. From Bengaluru to Delhi, cities are actively embracing electric buses to make public transport cleaner, smarter, and more efficient. We are not merely allocating electric buses—we are shaping the future of India’s transport system with innovation and environmental consciousness,” the Union Minister added. “With close coordination between the Centre and states like Telangana, Karnataka, Delhi and Gujarat, we are determined to deliver on the PM e-Drive promise.”

The Ministry highlighted the importance of coordination between central and state governments to ensure timely deployment and operational readiness. The rollout is expected to be carried out through state transport agencies in partnership with the Ministry.

Officials stated that efforts are underway to ensure smooth delivery and integration of buses into public transport systems. The Ministry will continue working with participating states on logistics, planning and service operations.

Recently, Union Minister for Heavy Industries H.D. Kumaraswamy chaired a meeting with officials from the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Road Transport and Highways and Heavy Industries. The discussion focused on accelerating the installation of EV charging stations across India under the PM E-Drive scheme.

The minister acknowledged the integrated role of various stakeholders in the execution of this initiative. BHEL (Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited) is being considered as the nodal agency for demand aggregation and for the development of a unified digital super app that will serve as a single platform for EV users across India.