29-04-2025
Panaji's e-buses boost revenue, cut emissions by 66.5 tonnes
Panaji:
Clocking 8.8 lakh kilometres and ferrying close to 17 lakh passengers between July 2024 and March 2025, the revenue from the Panaji Smart City electric bus (e-bus) initiative jumped from Rs 6.5 lakh in July to Rs 27.2 lakh by March.
'Panaji is embracing a cleaner, smarter, and more connected future,' said chief executive officer and managing director of Imagine Panaji Smart City Development Ltd (IPSCDL) Sanjit Rodrigues. 'The general public's response to
electric buses
and digital payments has exceeded expectations, paving the way for a scalable model for other areas.'
Leading the charge, the Yellow bus route saw an marked rise in digital revenue from just Rs 10 to Rs 2. lakh, with passenger volume more than doubling.
Meanwhile, the Red route's conductor-less segment witnessed a 304% leap in digital payments, while the Indigo and Blue routes also posted strong gains despite roadblocks and initial sluggish starts.
Beyond numbers, the system is driving a positive impace on the climate — cutting 66.5 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions each month. With high earning per kilometre (EPKM) figures and increasing digital adoption, 'the Panaji Smart City E-Bus project has emerged as a successful model for sustainable and digitally empowered urban transportation', Rodrigues said.
Under the Smart Public Transit initiative, a total of 48 e-buses — ranging from 12-metre to 7-metre variants — have been deployed across Panaji. These buses operate on seven routes — Panaji, Mala, Bhatulem, Altinho, Taleigao, Santa Cruz, Bambolim, Dona Paula, and Cujira, with charging stations located at Porvorim (8) and Campal (2).
With payments carried out through the Smart transit card and digital ticketing app, a total of 19,533 smart cards have been issued by the Kadamba Transport Corporation (KTC) and IPSCDL.
