Marking a major step towards India’s electric mobility revolution, Convergence Energy Services Limited (CESL), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL), has received an enthusiastic response to its major tender for 10,900 electric buses under the PM e-Bus Sewa Programme. The tender, which includes a major allocation of 2,000 e-buses for Hyderabad, aims to strengthen the country’s public transport system and reduce the city’s emissions.
The deadline for submitting bids for the country’s largest tender for electric buses under the PM E-DRIVE scheme has been extended for the second time due to concerns from companies and states over the lack of charging infrastructure.
The deadline for submitting bids was originally August 12, which was pushed back to October 14 and has now been extended to November 6. “The extended bid deadline provides sufficient time for readiness, infrastructure planning and financial structuring,” the company said in a statement.
The successful bidder will be allocated depots and will create charging infrastructure. Other major cities benefiting from this initiative include Delhi (2,800 e-buses), Bengaluru (4,500), Ahmedabad (1,000) and Surat (600).
The government’s push for electric mobility has gained considerable momentum, with CESL playing a key role in aggregating demand, standardizing procurement and accelerating the rollout of e-buses across the country. The initiative is expected to reduce India’s carbon footprint, modernize public transport networks and provide a cleaner, quieter and more cost-effective alternative to traditional fossil fuel vehicles.
As of 2022, CESL has become the leading public sector body for major tendering and contracting of electric buses, having commissioned 17,838 electric buses under various national schemes. The demand aggregation model allows standardization of specifications, which significantly reduces overall costs. The PM e-Bus Sewa program is a significant step towards achieving India’s goal of net zero emissions by 2070.
Published – 26 Oct 2025 19:58 IST
