Articulated bus project hits fresh hurdle as centre seeks answers on safety viability

Nagpur: The much-publicised flash-charging electric bus project, touted as a potential first for India, has hit a critical hurdle after the Union ministry of heavy industries (MHI) raised 13 objections covering passenger safety, technology risks and operational feasibility.In a letter dated May 29, 2026, MHI asked NMC to address observations raised by multiple stakeholders. Backed by Union minister Nitin Gadkari, the project proposes deploying 25-30 articulated electric buses on the city's Inner Ring Road and satellite corridors. The 18-metre-long buses would be powered through overhead flash chargers capable of delivering 400-600 kW charging bursts at designated stops. The project had earlier received in-principle support from the ministry of road transport and highways (MoRTH), following which Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) floated a tender worth around Rs152 crore.Among the key concerns is passenger safety during flash-charging operations. NITI Aayog and the ministry of power have sought details on safety protocols for charging buses while passengers remain onboard and recommended compliance with Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) norms and homologation requirements.Technical agencies have also raised concerns over the impact of repeated high-power charging on battery life, particularly in Nagpur's extreme summer conditions. Clarifications have been sought on the performance and durability of Lithium Titanate Oxide (LTO) batteries under Indian climatic conditions.The Department of Economic Affairs (DEA) flagged operational vulnerabilities, noting that failure of a single flash-charging station could disrupt services along an entire route. It also pointed to higher capital costs compared with conventional charging systems and sought details on contingency measures, route diversions and operational flexibility.Significantly, MoRTH has recommended a phased rollout. Under the proposed approach, a limited number of buses would first be deployed as a pilot project, with expansion contingent on an assessment of operational performance and feasibility.The ministry has also sought environmental and social impact assessments and directed NMC to establish a monitoring framework with measurable performance indicators to assess the project's economic viability.With the Centre seeking responses to 13 observations, the high-profile project has entered a critical scrutiny phase before it can secure final approval and move towards implementation.NAGPUR FLASH-CHARGING ARTICULATED BUS PROJECTProject: Flash-Charging Electric Articulated Bus SystemImplementing Agency: Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC)Proposed Route: Inner Ring Road and satellite city corridorsEstimated Project Cost: Rs152 croreProposed Fleet: 25 articulated electric busesBus Length: 18 metresCharging Technology: Overhead flash chargingCharging Capacity: 400-600 kW per charging eventBattery Type: Lithium Titanate Oxide (LTO) batteriesCurrent Status: Centre seeks clarifications before further approvalKEY CONCERNS RAISED BY CENTRESafetyPassenger safety during onboard chargingSafety standards and BIS certificationHomologation complianceEmergency response protocolsTechnicalBattery degradation due to repeated flash chargingLTO battery performance in Nagpur's high temperaturesReliability of charging infrastructureAvailability of specialised transformersOperationalBuses may be restricted to designated flash-charging routesDifficulty in route diversions and emergency redeploymentDependence on charging stations along the corridorNeed for skilled manpower and spare parts supportInfrastructureHigher upfront cost than depot-based chargingPower grid load spikes from 400-600 kW charging burstsNeed for power distribution upgradesRisk of route disruption if a charging station failsPolicy SuggestionsImplement project in two phasesStart with pilot deployment of a few busesConduct environmental and social impact assessmentDevelop national-level performance monitoring framework13 OBSERVATIONS AT A GLANCEStakeholder | Major ConcernNITI Aayog | Safety standards, battery performanceMinistry of Power | Passenger safety, charging infrastructureMoRTH | Pilot phase before full rolloutDEA | Economic viability, grid impact, operational flexibilityMoHUA | Transformers, maintenance ecosystem, scalability