Towards Climate-Responsive and Low Carbon Development
Electrification of the bus fleet in Uttarakhand is critical for the decarbonization of transport in the state. It is expected that the mobility needs of people will increase with the increase in urbanization and improved infrastructure to boost tourism in the state. The continuous improvement of road infrastructure to various pilgrimage sites & tourist spots and being an electricity surplus state will facilitate the deployment of electric buses on various routes. There are multiple routes on which electric buses can be deployed initially to start the wheel of transition. The analysis of current operations and assessment of route feasibility indicates that the adoption of electric buses is not complicated. The electric bus operations under Dehradun Smart City Limited and the adjoining neighbouring state of Himachal Pradesh proved the suitability of electric bus operations under hilly terrain. This whitepaper addresses the transport-related emission in the state of Uttarakhand by facilitating the rollout of electric public buses on identified intra-city or inter-city routes which are currently catered by Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) buses. The white paper is prepared as part of the project in the form of electric bus planning and deployment strategy.
In this regard, Alliance for an Energy Efficient Economy (AEEE) has partnered with the International Association of Public Transport (UITP) – India to facilitate the roll-out of electric public buses in Uttarakhand state.