Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma on Saturday, 20 June 2026 flagged off 29 electric buses under the PM e-Bus Sewa scheme from Amar Jawan Jyoti in Jaipur, operated by Jaipur City Transport Services Limited (JCTSL). Separately, he launched 18 more electric buses in Bhilwara via video conference, bringing the total induction to 47 new e-buses across two Rajasthan cities in a single day.

Context

The Chief Minister's Office of Rajasthan announced the event through an official post, quoting Sharma as saying: 'in bason ke sanchalan se swachh, surakshit evam sugam sarvajanik parivahan ko badhawa milega' ('the operation of these buses will promote clean, safe and convenient public transport'). The launch was conducted with a formal puja (ceremonial worship) of the electric bus at Amar Jawan Jyoti, the war memorial that served as the ceremonial departure point.

Sharma personally inspected the buses, familiarising himself with onboard features including a panic button, air conditioning, and CCTV cameras. He also interacted with the driver and conductor before purchasing a ticket and riding the bus from Amar Jawan Jyoti to State Hangar.

Policy Backdrop

The PM e-Bus Sewa scheme was launched by the Government of India in 2023 with an objective to deploy 10,000 electric buses across 169 cities nationwide, with the Centre funding a significant share of operational costs. The scheme is a cornerstone of India's national electric mobility mission, targeting urban air quality improvement and reduced dependence on fossil fuels in public transport.

Rajasthan has progressively integrated electric buses into its urban transport network, particularly in Jaipur, where JCTSL manages city bus operations. The induction of these 29 buses in the state capital and 18 buses in Bhilwara — a major textile and industrial city — signals the scheme's expansion beyond the capital into tier-2 urban centres.

Stakeholders and Impact

Urban commuters in Jaipur and Bhilwara stand to benefit directly from cleaner, air-conditioned public transport equipped with modern safety features. The panic button and CCTV cameras are particularly significant for women's safety on public buses, a recurring policy concern in Indian cities.

For JCTSL and the Rajasthan state transport ecosystem, electric buses offer lower per-kilometre operational costs over time compared with diesel fleets, though the upfront capital and charging infrastructure requirements remain substantial. The central subsidy under PM e-Bus Sewa helps bridge this gap for state agencies.

What's Next

The rollout of the remaining buses sanctioned under PM e-Bus Sewa for other Rajasthan cities will be closely watched as a measure of the state government's pace of implementation. Publication of ridership figures and emission reduction data from the Jaipur and Bhilwara corridors will serve as early indicators of the scheme's on-ground impact. If adoption rates are strong, Rajasthan could position itself as a model for central-state coordination on green urban mobility under the #AapnoAgraneeRajasthan vision.