Odisha ranks 5th in E-mobility, plans to expand electric bus fleet to 1,000

Odisha has secured the fifth spot among all states in the country in terms of electric mobility and has plans to further scale up its e-bus fleet for sustainable urban transport, informed Housing and Urban Development (H&UD) Minister Krushna Chandra Mahapatra on Thursday.

According to the Minister, Odisha is planning to add more than 500 new e-buses will soon be added to the state’s existing fleet.

Quoting Government of India statistics, the minister said there are currently 14,329 e-buses operating across Indian cities. 

According to The New Indian Express, Delhi tops the list with 3,564 buses, followed by Maharashtra (3,296), Karnataka (2,236), and Uttar Pradesh (850). Odisha, with 450 e-buses, stands just behind these states, well ahead of neighbours like West Bengal (391), Andhra Pradesh (238), Chhattisgarh (215), and Jharkhand (46).

He added that the Centre, under schemes such as PM-eBus Sewa and PM E-DRIVE, is extending financial support to states to accelerate the adoption of clean and cost-effective public transport. 

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H&UD Principal Secretary Usha Padhee informed that charging facilities are being established at depots and terminals, while smart systems like QR code payments, NCMC cards, and app-based booking are being introduced for a smooth commuter experience. The government is also preparing to extend e-bus services to cities like Sambalpur, Jharsuguda, Keonjhar, Berhampur and Angul.