E-buses: Kerala likely to back off from deal with Swiss firm

E-buses: Kerala likely to back off from deal with Swiss firm
The bus headed to Ernakulam stopped near X-ray Junction in Cherthala after its batteries ran dry on Sunday.

Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala government is likely to back off from entering into a contract with Switzerland-based company Hess and Caetano in the e-mobility project for manufacturing electric buses.

The government had earlier removed PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) as consultant for the project. The PwC was tasked with carrying out a feasibility study before signing an agreement with the company.

The proposal was to form a joint venture between the Swiss company and Kerala Automobiles, a public sector undertaking, for manufacturing 3,000 buses.

These buses would be bought by the KSRTC, the company said in its report to the government.

Though complaints were raised that the KSRTC would suffer an annual loss of Rs 540 crore due to this, the government decided to go-ahead with the project.

Thiruvananthapuram-Kasaragod semi-hi-speed rail, modern bus port, logistic port, electric vehicle manufacturing hub, and hydrogen fuel cell are the projects included in the Rs 4,500-crore e-mobility project.

The PwC and KPMG were hired as consultants for the project. The opposition alleged that this was in violation of the norms.

Later, a controversy erupted over gold smuggling case accused Swapna Suresh being recruited to Space Park by the PwC on the recommendation of Sivasankar, former Principal Secretary to the CM.

Soon after, the chief secretary's probe report sought PwC to be backlisted.

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