Overview
- Transport minister and MSRTC chairman Pratap Sarnaik confirmed a 300 MW ‘Solar Energy/Urja Hub’ to be built across depots, workshops, bus-station rooftops, and idle MSRTC land, with additional government plots to be leased if required.
- MSRTC currently buys about 15 MW of power at ₹25–30 crore a year, and demand is projected to rise to roughly 280 MW as thousands of electric buses are introduced.
- The corporation estimates potential savings of about ₹1,000 crore annually from solar generation, with a stated goal of lowering reliance on government subsidies.
- The solar initiative will follow a public–private partnership model and tap central and state renewable-energy schemes, with projects in the announcement and early procurement phase.
- The tender process has begun for 250-plus multi-fuel retail outlets with EV charging at surveyed highway and state-road locations, inviting IOC, BPCL, HPCL and reputed international firms to develop integrated ‘Petro‑Motel Hubs’ on MSRTC-owned sites.