Puducherry Launches 25 Olectra Electric Buses Under Smart City Initiative

Puducherry officially added 25 electric buses to its public transport network on October 27, 2025, marking a key development in the union territory's push toward cleaner urban transportation.

The Puducherry Road Transport Corporation (PRTC) fleet was flagged off by Lieutenant Governor K. Kailashnathan, Chief Minister N. Rangasamy, and Speaker R. Selvam at a ceremony attended by senior government officials. The launch forms part of the Government of Puducherry's Smart City initiative.

Manufactured by Olectra Greentech Ltd, the fleet consists of 15 non-air-conditioned and 10 air-conditioned buses, each measuring 9 metres in length. The vehicles are designed to offer zero-emission, noise-free travel with a range of up to 200 kilometres per charge.

Evey Trans Private Limited, a company under the MEIL Group, will operate and maintain the buses for 12 years under a Gross Cost Contract model.

Mahesh Babu, Managing Director of Olectra Greentech Limited, expressed appreciation for the government's support. "We are delighted to partner with the Government of Puducherry and PRTC in advancing the Smart City mission through sustainable mobility," he said, adding that the project demonstrates Olectra's commitment to developing cleaner public transport infrastructure.

Transport authorities inspected and approved prototype buses earlier this year before the fleet's deployment.

According to company data, Olectra's electric buses operating across India have collectively traveled over 440 million kilometres, reducing diesel consumption by approximately 135.4 million litres and cutting CO₂ emissions by around 362.8 million kilograms—equivalent to the carbon offset of planting 16.8 million trees.

Olectra Greentech Limited, established in 2000, introduced electric buses to India in 2015. The company currently operates electric buses across 10 states and 2 union territories in over 75 cities and has delivered more than 3,000 electric vehicles. The company also manufactures silicone rubber and composite insulators for power transmission and distribution networks.