Civic body staff to use EVs for official work

Bhubaneswar: The staff at Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) have decided to use electric vehicles (EVs), replacing a significant share of its 90 diesel-run vehicles used for official and field work.

BMC officials on Friday said that the move was aimed at promoting green mobility and reducing dependence on fossil fuels, given the current situation, and supporting climate-resilient urban infrastructure in Bhubaneswar. “This will cut carbon emissions and vehicular pollution generated by routine municipal transport operations, while also helping improve urban air quality and reduce noise pollution,” a BMC officer said.

BMC sources said the initiative is also expected to lower recurring expenditure on diesel and bring operational savings over time.

BMC is planning to use 60 EVs, including 50 small car or sedan models and 10 SUV segment vehicles. “To implement the plan, we will invite bids through an expression of interest process. We will seek reputed fleet operators, EV aggregators, authorised agencies and transport service providers with experience in fleet management and mobility services,” the BMC officer added.

The selected agency/agencies will be required to provide operationally-ready EVs, with charging support, maintenance services, replacement arrangements and compliance with statutory requirements.