Karnataka Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy Flags Off First Batch of Electric Vayu Vajra Buses for Bengaluru Airport Commute

News Flash

14 August

Transport Minister launches eco-friendly A/C buses under BMTC’s sustainable mobility push, with first phase starting August 14, 2025

Bengaluru: Karnataka Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy has given the green signal for the introduction of 320 state-of-the-art electric buses under the Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation’s (BMTC) Vajra and Vayu Vajra services, marking a major step towards eco-friendly urban mobility.

BMTC, which caters to an average of 44 lakh passengers daily through 65,206 trips covering 12.85 lakh kilometres, currently operates a fleet of 6,217 buses, including 1,535 electric vehicles. The new electric buses will be added under the Gross Cost Contract (GCC) model to enhance both city and airport services.

In the first phase, 10 air-conditioned electric buses will join the Vayu Vajra airport fleet from August 14, 2025. Of the total 320 buses, 235 will serve Vajra city routes and 85 will serve Vayu Vajra airport routes. Currently, 177 electric Vajra buses are already operational in city services.

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Salient Features of the 320 A/C Electric Buses

• Fully electric, zero-emission, 12-meter A/C buses with low-floor height.

• Equipped with 283 kWh battery for up to 225 km/day operation.

• Passenger-friendly features: 35 seats + wheelchair space, high-back seats, USB charging ports (Type A & C).

• Safety: CCTV cameras, panic buttons for women, fire detection system, regenerative braking.

• Accessibility: Wheelchair ramp, kneeling mechanism, stop request buttons.

Vayu Vajra Operations and Routes

Currently, 156 Vayu Vajra schedules operate 22 routes to Kempegowda International Airport, covering 1,061 trips and 50,776 km daily, serving 14,000 passengers. The 85 new buses will run on routes including:

• KIA-4: HAL Main Gate – KIA (9 schedules)

• KIA-5: Banashankari TTMC – KIA (7 schedules)

• KIA-9: Kempegowda Bus Station – KIA (21 schedules)
  (Full detailed route list available in BMTC records)

Charging Infrastructure at the Airport

To support the electric fleet, BMTC has set up opportunity charging at KIA’s P7 parking:

• 9 chargers, total 240 kW capacity.

• Powered through 1400 KVA HT connection with ~1 km 11KV cable.

• ₹1.5 crore investment by BMTC; space provided free by Kempegowda International Airport Authority.