Infra for 200 e-buses underway in Jammu & Srinagar
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Feb 11: Chief Secretary, Atal Dulloo, today chaired a meeting of the UT-Level Steering Committee to review the implementation of the PM eBus Sewa Scheme in Jammu & Kashmir, under which 200 electric buses are being procured to strengthen and modernize urban public transport across the Union Territory.
The meeting was attended by Additional Chief Secretary, Agriculture Production Department; Commissioner Secretary, Housing & Urban Development Department (H&UDD); Secretary, Transport; Director General, Codes; Commissioner, Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC); Commissioner, Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC); Chief Engineers of JPDCL and KPDCL; and other senior officers concerned.
While reviewing the progress achieved so far, the Chief Secretary emphasized the need for expeditious development of supporting infrastructure to ensure seamless operationalization of the e-buses.
He directed the Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs) of Jammu Smart City Limited (JSCL) and Srinagar Smart City Limited (SSCL) to prioritize the establishment of Behind-the-Meter (BTM) power infrastructure, civil depot infrastructure, and other requisite facilities essential for efficient functioning of the fleet.
Stressing adherence to timelines, the Chief Secretary asked the concerned agencies to complete the tendering processes after carefully examining prevailing national trends and best practices. He further directed that all necessary arrangements be put in place so that the buses are pressed into service immediately upon their receipt, ensuring timely benefits to the public.
Commissioner Secretary, H&UDD, Mandeep Kaur, briefed the Committee about the scheme’s implementation framework in the UT. She informed that 100 e-buses each will be procured by Srinagar Smart City Limited and Jammu Smart City Limited under the PM eBus Sewa Scheme.
Providing details of the fleet composition, she stated that JSCL will procure 25 buses of 12-metre length and 75 buses of 7-metre length, while SSCL will procure 20 buses of 12-metre length and 80 buses of 9-metre length, catering to the operational requirements of both cities.
Commissioner, JMC, Devansh Yadav, further elaborated on the progress made under the scheme. He informed that the Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) for Civil Depot Infrastructure (CDI) and Behind-the-Meter (BTM) Power Infrastructure for both Jammu and Srinagar have been approved in accordance with the guidelines of the PM eBus Sewa Scheme. Tenders for these works have already been issued by JSCL and SSCL respectively.
It was further informed that the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) has issued the Mother Sanction amounting to Rs 14.28 crore for the Behind-the-Meter power infrastructure and the first tranche of Rs 14.05 crore for Civil Infrastructure through SNA-SPARSH, facilitating timely execution of the project components.
The Chief Secretary called this a sustainable urban mobility initiative and underscored that the introduction of electric buses will significantly reduce carbon emissions, improve urban air quality, and provide safe, reliable, and eco-friendly public transport to the citizens of J&K.
Meanwhile, Chief Secretary chaired a high-level meeting of the Labour & Employment Department to review the implementation status of the four new Labour Codes-one of the most significant labour reforms undertaken in the country to simplify compliance mechanisms and strengthen worker welfare.
The meeting was attended by Secretary, Labour & Employment, Kumar Rajeev Ranjan; Labour Commissioner; and other senior officers of the department.
Reviewing the progress made so far, the Chief Secretary underscored the importance of launching a sustained and structured awareness campaign to ensure comprehensive understanding of the new Labour Codes among all stakeholders, including employers, employees, trade unions and industrial establishments. He emphasized that widespread awareness is essential for ensuring smooth compliance and effective implementation of these landmark reforms.
He further called for focused capacity-building initiatives for all concerned stakeholders to facilitate seamless transition to the new legal framework. He observed that the true objective of these reforms lies not merely in their notification, but in their effective on-ground implementation, leading to tangible improvements in ease of doing business, enhanced compliance, and strengthened social security and welfare mechanisms for workers across establishments covered under these laws.
Highlighting the department’s efforts, Secretary, Labour & Employment, Kumar Rajeev Ranjan informed the meeting that the department has so far conducted 194 awareness generation camps across J&K, reaching out to 1,046 establishments and sensitizing 14,205 participants.
He stated that the department is further intensifying its outreach strategy through outdoor publicity campaigns, social media platforms and FM Radio broadcasts to maximize public engagement and dissemination of information regarding the provisions of the new Labour Codes.
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