Archive · 31 Jul 2026
Pune to Pilot Road‑Based Electric Rapid Transit System
Pune and its nearby city Pimpri‑Chinchwad are going to try a new kind of bus that looks and feels like a metro train but runs on regular roads.
The bus will have three connected cars and can carry 240 people.
It will travel on a 17‑kilometre route from Bhosari to Wakad.
The government will test it for about a year and a half.
If it works well, they will add more buses on the same route and link it with the existing metro and train lines so people can travel easily.
Maharashtra government fast‑tracks a pilot of the Electric Rapid Transit System (e‑RTS) on roads.
The pilot covers a 17‑km corridor from Bhosari to Wakad in Pimpri‑Chinchwad and Pune.
Three‑coach, double‑articulated electric vehicles can carry up to 240 passengers and run 23 hours a day.
Trial is expected to last 18 months, with plans to expand across the HCMTR and BRT networks if successful.
Vehicles will be charged overnight and at stops, and the project aims to integrate with the metro, railways, and other public transport.
- Who
- Maharashtra government, led by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis
- What
- Pilot launch of the Electric Rapid Transit System (e‑RTS) on roads
- When
- Decision made on July 27, 2024; trial expected to run for 18 months
- Where
- Pimpri‑Chinchwad and Pune, corridor from Bhosari to Wakad
- Why
- To provide a metro‑like travel experience without tracks, improve connectivity, and reduce congestion
- Pilot corridor length
- 17 km
- Trial duration
- 18 months
- Vehicle capacity
- 240 passengers per three‑coach vehicle
- Vehicle type
- double‑articulated electric vehicle on rubber tyres
- Frequency
- approximately 10 minutes (up to 23 hours a day)
- Charging method
- overnight depot charging plus opportunity charging at stops
