In a major push towards sustainable urban transport, the West Bengal Transport Department is preparing to procure around 350 compressed natural gas (CNG) buses, a senior official confirmed. Additionally, a proposal to acquire 25 electric buses is currently under consideration by the relevant authorities.

Rejecting claims of phasing out electric buses due to high maintenance costs and limited battery life, the official clarified that the state remains committed to maintaining a balanced approach between both green alternatives.

“There is no such plan to discontinue electric buses. On the contrary, we aim to expand both CNG and EV fleets simultaneously,” the official told PTI. The procurement process for the CNG buses is in various stages, while the proposal for the electric buses is pending approval.

At present, 80 electric buses operate across various depots in both northern and southern parts of the state. Each of these buses is powered by three batteries, each costing Rs 1.8 million. A fully charged bus can travel between 100 and 110 kilometres. However, any battery failure renders the bus inoperative.

While CNG buses won’t face battery-related downtimes, the department acknowledges the need to increase the number of dedicated CNG fuelling stations to support the expansion.

“We want to strike a balance between both CNG and electric buses,” the official reiterated.

Transport Minister Snehasis Chakraborty was unavailable for comment on the development.