India, Dec. 11 -- The state government will purchase 8,000 new buses for the state-run Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) over the next year, transport minister Pratap Sarnaik informed the Legislative Council on Wednesday. Tenders for 3,000 buses have already been floated, and purchase orders issued to Tata Motors and Ashok Leyland. He added that 25,000 diesel-run buses will be converted into electric vehicles (EV) by 2029 in a phased manner.

Responding to a question raised by Shiv Sena (UBT) legislator Sachin Ahir and others, Sarnaik said MSRTC has prepared a plan to modernise its 216 bus depots across the state through a public-private partnership (PPP) model. The move aims to upgrade infrastructure and generate addit...