Newer, Bigger and better
Get ready to see more electric buses in the newer developing parts of Kolkata like in Rajarhat area. With an aim to reduce pollution in the city, the West Bengal Transport Corporation (WBTC) has introduced a fleet of e-buses to connect the city to its suburbs and the department has plans to have as many as 5,000 e-buses by 2030. The West Bengal government is looking to phase out old buses completely and replace them with new e-buses over a period of time. These electric buses would bring down the per annum carbon dioxide emissions by 7,82,560 tonnes.
In-Focus
E-busses are already running on major routes and connecting the main city to the surburban areas and Rajarhat alone is expected to see 50 e-buses running through the city. Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) which is a research and advocacy think tank recently held a workshop on initiatives for a green city and initiatives taken by the State government.
The workshop was held in association with the Institute of Town Planners of India West Bengal Regional Chapter. The aim was to look at opportunities to ensure that resources are protected and the city moves towards sustainable living and leave a positive impact on the development of the city.
View from the top
“West Bengal has embarked on its Green City Mission and is offering incentive programmes for green-rated buildings. It is critical to ensure and monitor that these green initiatives are leading to real resource savings and minimizing environmental impacts,”- says Anumita Chowdhury, Executive Director of CSE, while conducting the workshop.
E-buses on the roll
Kolkata joins other cities like Agra, Moradabad, Rajkot, Gandhinagar, Nagpur, Kalyan-Dombiwali, Kohima, Dehradun, Chandigarh, Gurgaon, Faridabad and Thane in the green city missions. The aim is to strike the right balance between increasing population and increasing transportation and ensuring a cleaner and greener environment.
