Shimla: In a step towards sustainable urban services, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Monday flagged off 10 electric waste collection vehicles for the Shimla Municipal Corporation.
With this initiative, Shimla becomes the first urban local body in Himachal Pradesh to begin transitioning its waste management fleet to electric vehicles in a phased manner. Trial runs conducted in November last year confirmed the vehicles' efficiency in the city's challenging terrain. Each vehicle can carry up to one tonne of waste and travel 130 to 150 kilometres on a full charge. Charging infrastructure has also been installed.
Chief Minister Sukhu said the move aligned with the government's push for e-mobility, aiming to reduce pollution and operational costs while promoting Himachal Pradesh as a green state.
Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Minister Anirudh Singh, Urban Development Minister Vikramaditya Singh, Town and Country Planning Minister Rajesh Dharmani, Shimla Mayor Surender Chauhan, Deputy Mayor Uma Kaushal, councillors, and other senior officers were also present during the flag-off ceremony.
