Karnataka to receive electric buses under PM E-Drive: Kumaraswamy
New Delhi (PTI): Karnataka will receive electric buses in a "phased and prioritised manner" under the Centre's flagship PM E-Drive Scheme, Union Heavy Industries Minister H D Kumaraswamy said on Friday.
The Ministry of Heavy Industries had received a formal proposal from the Karnataka government seeking allocation of electric buses under the initiative.
Karnataka Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy submitted the state's request, citing need for enhanced urban public transport systems in key cities.
Kumaraswamy held deliberations with senior officials of the Heavy Industries Ministry and assured the Karnataka government of complete support from the Centre.
The minister confirmed that the process of allocation is already underway and that Karnataka will receive electric buses in a phased and prioritised manner.
"I will ensure that Karnataka receives all due support from the Government of India," Kumaraswamy said.
"Under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, we are transforming public mobility across India. Karnataka will definitely receive buses under PM E-Drive," he added.
Over 14,000 electric buses are to be allocated to nine major cities under the initiative.
The scheme has an outlay of Rs 10,900 crore for two years from April 1, 2024 to March 31, 2026.
Discussions between the Union and state governments have also covered associated infrastructure, including charging stations, bus depots, and vehicle maintenance systems.
Officials from both sides explored implementation models to ensure rapid roll-out across identified urban clusters, a statement said.
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Woman, 2 sons found dead in Delhi home; suicide suspected
New Delhi (PTI): Three members of a family were found dead inside their home in southeast Delhi's Kalkaji on Friday, with police suspecting it to be a case of suicide, officials said.
Police said the incident came to light around 2.47 pm when a police team reached the premises to execute a court order related to possession of the property. When repeated knocks went unanswered, the staff used a duplicate key to open the door.
Inside, officers found Anuradha Kapoor (52) and her sons, Ashish Kapoor (32) and Chaitanya Kapoor (27), hanging from the ceiling, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Southeast) Hemant Tiwari said in a statement. All three were declared dead.
A handwritten note was recovered from the room, suggesting the family had been struggling with depression.
"The handwritten note indicates emotional distress faced by the family due to which the family may have taken the extreme step," the officer said.
The bodies have been shifted to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) mortuary for post-mortem and other legal formalities under Section 194 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), police said.
Residents of the neighbourhood said they were shocked to learn about the deaths, adding that the family kept largely to themselves.
Pankaj Kashyap, a resident of Girinagar, said he learnt about the deaths while leaving for work. "I live and work here and was leaving for work when I saw many people standing outside and talking. That is how I got to know that three people had committed suicide. I also saw several police vehicles outside, but I do not know much beyond that," he said.
Baldev, another neighbour, said the family had been living in the newly constructed house for around two years. "We only knew that a mother and her two children lived there. They had moved into the newly built house around two years ago. We did not interact much with them. Today we heard that all three have committed suicide, and whatever we know is based on what people here are saying," he said.
Another neighbour, Ramesh Kumar, claimed the family had earlier attempted suicide.
"About fifteen to twenty days ago, the two sons in the family had attempted suicide and police and ambulances had come. That was when I first got to know who they were. I do not recognise them by face, but we saw the ambulances and police take the two sons that day. Today again we saw ambulances and police arriving, so everyone came out to see what had happened. I do not know how long they had been living here, but this is all we know," he said.
Police said they are examining the family's financial condition, social circumstances, and other factors that may have contributed to the incident. Further investigation is underway.
