Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has directed APSRTC officials to procure only electric vehicles (EVs) for the proposed induction of 1,450 new buses in the next financial year. He emphasized that this move would support environmental protection and reduce dependence on diesel-powered transport.
During a review meeting on APSRTC held at the Secretariat on Monday, the Chief Minister also instructed officials to set up more EV charging stations in the Godavari districts. He said the additional infrastructure was essential in view of the upcoming Godavari Pushkarams, which are expected to draw large crowds.
The Chief Minister approved a long-term plan to introduce 8,819 EV buses over the next five years by replacing existing diesel buses. He further asked officials to explore the conversion of buses that still have more than eight years of operational life into EVs. At the same time, he stressed that passenger convenience must remain the top priority.
Highlighting the impact of the Stree Shakti free travel scheme for women, Naidu said APSRTC should introduce more buses to meet rising demand. He reiterated that EV buses should get priority to protect the environment and set a clear target to replace all diesel buses with EVs by 2030.
The Chief Minister also called for greater focus on cargo transport to improve APSRTC’s revenue. He noted that the Centre has sanctioned 750 EV buses to Andhra Pradesh under the PM E-Bus Seva scheme. In addition, the government has decided to allocate 300 more buses for services linked to the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams.
Officials briefed the Chief Minister on the success of a pilot project that converted diesel buses to CNG on the Chittoor–Vellore route in collaboration with Think Gas company. Naidu asked them to study the project’s outcomes and assess its scalability across the state.
