TimesView The decision to launch more electric buses is a welcome move because apart from providing comfortable rides, these vehicles will go a long way in improving the air quality too. KOLKATA: Encouraged by the positive response from passengers, the Housing Infrastructure Development Corporation ( Hidco ) that has been operating and maintaining electric buses in New Town has decided to procure more such vehicles in the near future. Introduced last May, the electric buses have been used by more than a lakh till February 13, 2019, averaging 330 passengers per day.Passengers who have availed the 32-seater, conductor-less AC buses said the rides were comfortable and the vehciles have solved the transport woes within the township. “The buses convenient for travelling to the inner lanes of the township,” said Surovi Mukherjee from New Town’s Jatragachi.“More such pollution-free environment friendly buses need to be introduced,” said Barnali Sarkar, a resident of Salt Lake who took the electric bus once.The buses have a seamless system. Passengers can board the vehicles through the doors at the front end and get off only through the rear doors. The driver hands over printed tickets and operates the doors with an automatic lever. Standing inside the buses is not allowed. The buses are run in two shifts on three routes along the inner lanes of New Town. Within three months of being introduced, the buses had over 20,000 passengers using them.Of the three routes, one is from the New Town bus terminus to Swapno Bhor senior citizens’ park via Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Government College behind Home Town. The vehicles go the opposite way for the second route. The third route connects Mangaldeep Island, Akankha complex, Owl crossing and Eco Urban Village.Each electric bus also has a fire extinguisher, emergency gates, an emergency stop button and a CCTV camera.

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