NEW DELHI: In a significant boost to sustainable urban mobility, the Indian government has allocated approximately 4,500 electric buses to Bengaluru under the Prime Minister’s e-Drive Scheme. This initiative is part of a nationwide effort to deploy 14,028 electric buses across major Indian cities by March 2026, with a total financial outlay of ?10,900 crore. 

Union Minister for Heavy Industries and Steel, H.D. Kumaraswamy, announced the allocation following a high-level meeting in New Delhi on May 22, 2025. The session focused on the rollout of electric buses in collaboration with the states of Karnataka, Telangana, Delhi, and Gujarat. Minister Kumaraswamy emphasized the government's commitment to advancing Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision for clean and inclusive urban transport solutions across India. 

The PM e-Drive Scheme aims to replace conventional diesel buses with electric alternatives, thereby reducing urban air pollution and promoting sustainable public transportation. Bengaluru's allocation of 4,500 buses is the largest among the five cities selected for this phase of the scheme. Other cities receiving electric buses include Delhi (2,800 buses), Hyderabad (2,000 buses), Ahmedabad (1,000 buses), and Surat (600 buses). 

Currently, Bengaluru operates around 6,800 buses, with electric vehicles constituting 25% of the fleet. The addition of 4,500 electric buses will increase the city's total fleet size to over 10,000, marking a significant milestone in its public transportation system. The Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) plans to induct these new buses over the next year, aiming to enhance the city's green mobility infrastructure. 

Experts advocate for a strategic approach to the deployment of these electric buses, emphasizing the need for optimized route planning, dedicated bus lanes, and improved charging infrastructure to maximize the benefits of the scheme. The success of this initiative is expected to serve as a model for other cities in India and globally, showcasing the potential of large-scale electric mobility solutions in urban settings.