India, March 31 -- The electric bus service of Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Limited (PMPML), which has been hit by frequent disruptions due to traffic congestion and slow charging systems, is set for a major upgrade. The civic transport body has decided to replace in April existing alternating current (AC) chargers with direct current (DC) fast chargers across all depots, with technical support from Olectra.

The shift is expected to cut charging time by half, improve operational efficiency and significantly reduce mid-route breakdowns, officials said.

According to officials, it currently takes nearly five hours to fully charge an e-bus using AC chargers. Due to this long duration-compounded by traffic delays-drivers often skip fu...