Rohtak to have dedicated electric bus stand

Rohtak city is set to witness a major boost in its electric public transport infrastructure with the proposed development of a dedicated electric bus stand over 3.5 acres at the main bus terminal. A tender worth approximately Rs 14.88 crore has been floated for the project, and the last date for the submission of applications is September 19.

Sharing the details, Surendra Siwach, Works Manager at the Rohtak Depot of Haryana Roadways, said at present, five electric buses are operating within the city. Now, under the public-private partnership (PPP) model, the state government plans to expand the service, necessitating a specialised facility for electric buses.

“Once the stand is developed, the private partner will introduce 50 additional electric buses at its own expense. These will operate not only within Rohtak city but also in nearby subdivisions to better serve local commuters. Under this model, the state government will pay Rs 62 per km to the private operator, including Rs 28 per km as central financial assistance to promote electric mobility,” he added.

Siwach said additionally, the state will invest Rs 1.5 crore to lay a high-voltage electricity line from the power house to the bus stand to ensure seamless charging of the fleet. October 2026 has been fixed as the deadline to complete construction work of the bus stand. Besides Rohtak, such bus stands would be established in Rewari and Hisar as well, he added.

“Drivers for the new buses will be appointed by the private firm, while conductors will be deployed by the Haryana Roadways. Route planning, scheduling and fare collection via e-ticketing will remain under the control of the Roadways Department to ensure transparency,” he added.

Siwach informed that Rohtak’s city electric bus service was launched last year, with five buses currently operating on multiple routes across the city. In a recent development, the service was extended to Bahadurgarh on Sundays and other holidays to facilitate locals.

Meanwhile, Sumer Siwach, a senior leader of the Haryana Roadways Workers’ Union, has raised concerns over the government’s policy of operating electric bus services under the PPP model.

“This policy is not in the interest of the public, the employees, or the department. Therefore, we urge the government that if it intends to introduce electric buses, they should be purchased as government-owned vehicles and operated directly by the Roadways Department. This approach will help generate employment opportunities for the unemployed and expand the number of government-owned buses in the roadways fleet. Drivers and conductors from the roadways can provide quality service to the public,” he claimed.