Ashok Leyland and Tata Motors to supply 6700 buses to State Transport Undertakings

States throughout the country are investing more in public transport. 22 State Road Transport Corporations have placed orders for more than 6700 buses with bus manufacturers Ashok Leyland and Tata Motors under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission-II (JnNURM). The buses are specially designed for urban transport. Ashok Leyland’s JanBus and JanBus Midi are specially designed for feeder services. JanBus is a full-flat floor bus with front engine and single step entry. The company will also offer its Ultra Low Entry buses under the programme.

Tata Motors will supply 2700 Marco Polo buses to the states, with 487 buses to the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation and 780 buses to the Himachal State Road Transport Corporation. The buses, which conform to the urban bus specifications of the JnNURM-II scheme, will be fitted with CCTV cameras, have wider window panes and lower exit doors. They will also have Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) for better public information and better passenger and driver safety. The JnNURM project under the Ministry of Urban Development has invested more than $20 billion in city modernization schemes over the last seven years.