Mumbai Powers Up Transit With 1500 Midi-Buses From EKA and Switch

Mumbai’s public transport operator finalized an agreement on Thursday to induct 1,500 electric air-conditioned midi-buses from manufacturers EKA and Switch, accelerating the financial hub's push toward zero-emission urban transit.

The agreement, executed under the federal government's "PM E-DRIVE" scheme, brings 9-meter, buses to the Brihan Mumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) Undertaking under a long-term wet-lease model.

The procurement aims to ease congestion on the metropolis’s notoriously narrow arteries while bridging crucial last-mile transit links to existing and upcoming metro rail corridors, BEST official stated in a press statement on Thursday. 

Under the contract awarded through a national competitive bidding process led by Convergence Energy Services Limited (CESL), private operators will manage the fleet across designated municipal depots.

Mumbai Vidyut Vahan Operation Pvt. Ltd. will deliver 1,050 EKA-branded electric buses across 10 depots, while Saigreen EVM Pvt. Ltd. will supply 450 Switch-branded vehicles stationed across two depots. 

The 12-year concession deal guarantees an operational run of 64,800 kilometers  per bus annually. Under the gross-cost operational structure, BEST retains full regulatory authority over route deployment and depot schedules, while pocketing all advertising revenues generated across the fleet.

Engineered specifically for dense urban operations, each 28-passenger vehicle features a 400-millimeter ultra-low entry floor, an automatic wheelchair ramp, and dedicated accessible seating.

Powered by modular rooftop- and rear-mounted battery packs, the buses offer a minimum range of 200 kilometers  on a single charge. Onboard safety and comfort hardware includes dual-axle full air suspension, front and rear disc brakes, automated fire detection and suppression systems (FDSS), 360-degree security cameras, seat-integrated USB charging stations, and real-time telematics.

Fleet rollout will occur in planned phases to modernize Mumbai’s municipal fleet. Officials confirmed that an initial batch of approximately 225 buses will enter service by March 2027, with the remaining 1,275 vehicles slated for full integration by March 2028.

Municipal transit leaders expect the expanded fleet to slash commuter wait times, alleviate bottlenecked feeder routes, and deliver a cleaner, dependable mass transit network for millions of daily riders