The Central government has approved the allocation of 2,000 electric buses to Hyderabad as part of the ambitious PM e-drive scheme, which aims to deploy 14,028 electric buses nationwide by March 2026. With a total project outlay of Rs 10,900 crore, the initiative is designed to modernize urban transport systems and cut down on carbon emissions across India. Telangana Transport Minister Ponnam Prabhakar welcomed the move, calling it a major boost to Hyderabad’s eco-friendly mobility efforts. He further stated that the state government plans to operate 2,800 electric buses within the Outer Ring Road (ORR) limits and urged the Centre to approve the remaining 800 buses to meet the city’s full requirement.

The decision was finalized during a high-level review meeting chaired by Union Minister for Heavy Industries and Steel, HD Kumaraswamy, where electric bus allocations were made for key cities across India. Hyderabad received 2,000 buses, while Bengaluru topped the list with 4,500, followed by Delhi (2,800), Ahmedabad (1,000), and Surat (600). Minister Prabhakar said that he, along with Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy and Uttam Kumar Reddy, personally met with Kumaraswamy to seek additional support for Telangana’s green transport goals. He emphasized the state’s commitment to building a clean, modern transport system powered by electric mobility.

Telangana is already ahead in its EV adoption drive, with a comprehensive Electric Vehicle Policy that offers 100% tax exemption on EVs to encourage cleaner transportation and reduce air pollution. The allocation of electric buses is a core part of this policy. “The Centre’s positive response is encouraging,” said Prabhakar, noting that this will not only transform public transit but also create new opportunities in the electric vehicle ecosystem. The Ministry of Heavy Industries added that the PM e-drive scheme will help build a sustainable, future-ready transport infrastructure while significantly reducing vehicular emissions across Indian cities.