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Uttar Pradesh Cabinet approves purchase of 250 electric buses for state transport fleet
The Uttar Pradesh Cabinet has approved the purchase of 250 electric buses for UPSRTC at a cost of Rs 425.50 crore and sanctioned new women's hostel projects in Varanasi to boost clean public transport and improve accommodation for working women and students.
A fleet of electric buses parked at a modern transport depot, representing Uttar Pradesh's push to strengthen sustainable public transport. (Image generated using AI)
Uttar Pradesh Cabinet on Tuesday approved the purchase of 250 electric buses for its road transport corporation at an estimated cost of Rs 425.50 crore to strengthen the state’s public transport system.
The decision was taken at a Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.
Briefing reporters after the meeting, Finance Minister Suresh Khanna said the project will cost Rs 425.50 crore, of which Rs 400 crore will be provided by the state government during the 2026-27 financial year, while the remaining Rs 25.50 crore will be borne by the Uttar Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (UPSRTC).
The buses would help modernise public transport, provide environmentally friendly mobility and improve passenger amenities, Khanna said, adding that during procurement, the preference would be given to Uttar Pradesh-based manufacturers to promote industrial activity in the state.
The minister said the induction of electric buses would also help UPSRTC comply with the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) norms under which only CNG, electric and BS-VI compliant vehicles will be permitted to enter Delhi from November 1, 2026, ensuring uninterrupted operations in the National Capital Region.
The government said the buses will be deployed on major religious, tourist and urban routes, reducing dependence on diesel-powered vehicles and contributing to lower air pollution.
The Cabinet also approved the free transfer of 6,000 square metres of government land in Varanasi to the Women Welfare Department for the construction of a 500-bed working women’s hostel under the Chief Minister Shramjeevi Mahila Chhatravas Yojana.
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Khanna said the hostel will be built entirely with state funding. The proposal is part of the government’s plan announced in the Budget to construct seven such hostels across the state. Similar projects for Jhansi, Agra, Meerut and Gorakhpur have already been approved, while Varanasi has now been added to the list. He said the hostels are intended to provide safe, affordable and convenient accommodation for working women and will be operated by the Women Welfare Department on a “no profit, no loss” basis.
In another decision, the Cabinet approved the construction of a new 112-bed women’s hostel at Basant Mahila Mahavidyalaya in Rajghat, Varanasi, at a cost of Rs 24.83 million under the Rapid Economic Development Scheme. Higher Education Minister Yogendra Upadhyay said the college, a constituent institution of Banaras Hindu University, currently has hostel accommodation for 220 students.
The new hostel will expand residential facilities for girl students and promote access to higher education, he added.
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