Over 50 % of J&K’s E-Buses Grounded: Maintenance Costs, Staff Shortages & the Future of Clean Mobility in Jammu

Over 50% of electric buses operated by Jammu & Kashmir Road Transport Corporation (JKSRTC) have been grounded due to high maintenance costs and shortage of mechanical staff.

By: Javid Amin | 06 November 2025

Clean-mobility has become a key priority for Indian cities and states as they aim to reduce emissions, curb pollution and transition to sustainable public transport. The union territory of Jammu & Kashmir (J&K) made a noteworthy move when its state-run transport body, JKSRTC, procured electric buses (e-buses) to operate in Jammu and Srinagar. However, recent reports reveal a troubling setback: over 50 % of the electric buses in Jammu city are grounded, many idle for almost a year, due to high maintenance costs and a shortage of skilled mechanical staff.

This article expands on that development. We examine what went wrong, how it reflects deeper systemic issues in public-transport operations, the implications for the region’s clean-mobility goals and what can be done to put things back on track. The tone here is human and accessible — aimed at practitioners, policymakers and the everyday commuter alike.

The Facts: What’s Happening with the E-Bus Fleet in Jammu

01. Fleet procurement & deployment

In 2019, JKSRTC purchased 40 electric buses from Tata Motors, with 20 allocated to Jammu city and 20 to Srinagar.
The buses were introduced as part of the UT’s effort to shift to cleaner public transport, reduce reliance on fossil-fuel buses and align with national schemes (e.g., the FAME programme).
Initially, these e-buses held promise: they were to carry city commuters, provide a green alternative and support the region’s mobility ambitions.

02. Grounding of the fleet: scale & causes

Reports state that over 10 of the 20 e-buses in Jammu are non-operational (i.e., more than 50 %) and have been lying idle for nearly a year.
The main reasons cited:
- High maintenance costs. For instance, one major fault: compressors in these buses are failing, and each replacement compressor reportedly costs around ₹5-6 lakh.
- Shortage of trained mechanical staff. The inability to attend to minor faults early has escalated problems, leading to buses being sidelined.
- Other mechanical issues: flat tyres, unattended breakdowns, components lying idle or waiting for parts.
Operational impact: With many buses grounded, service frequency has dropped, rural routes have been affected, and the e-bus promise has been undermined.

03. Other pressures: financial strain

Beyond the e-bus grounding, JKSRTC is facing broader financial stress: for instance, the corporation has pending electricity tariff liabilities exceeding ₹60 lakh across its charging stations and other units in Kashmir.
Earlier audits had already flagged under-utilisation and cost-revenue mismatches in JKSRTC’s regular fleet.

All these facts paint a picture of a well-intentioned initiative running into operational, technical and financial headwinds.

Why Did This Happen? Unpacking the Causes

01. Technical & maintenance challenges

E-bus technology, while advancing, still demands robust aftermarket support: spare parts, specialist skills, timely servicing. In Jammu’s context, the need for high-cost spare parts like compressors indicates that component costs can be prohibitive.
The bus terrain and operational conditions matter: city routes, mountain roads, variable weather, challenging infrastructure all increase wear-and-tear and maintenance burden. If maintenance is delayed, faults compound.
Training/skill gaps: The shortage of trained mechanical staff means faults that could have been resolved early are allowed to escalate. Preventive maintenance is arguably weaker.
Depots, charging infrastructure, operational logistics: Proper e-bus operations require reliable charging stations, scheduling of buses around charging time, managing downtime — any weakness in the ecosystem can lead to grounding.

02. Planning & financial mismatch

The procurement cost of e-buses is high (e.g., earlier reports estimated that 9-m midi electric buses in India cost ~ ₹99 lakh each in some tenders).
In Jammu’s case, additional high maintenance cost (including expensive spare parts) adds to the cost burden.
Subsidies and operational assistance may have been projected but delays or gaps in funding hit financial viability. For example, one document noted a revenue gap of about ₹625 crore over 10 years for e-bus operations in Jammu & Srinagar combined under a certain scheme.
Cost‐revenue mismatches: If the buses are not utilised fully (grounding leads to idle asset) then the cost per kilometre rises, hitting the model’s business case.

03. Institutional & human resource factors

For e-bus operations to succeed, organisations need to upgrade their human resource capacities (mechanics, technicians, drivers familiar with EV technology) as well as management systems (tracking usage, scheduling, maintenance logs). Reports indicate JKSRTC faced staff shortage issues.
Organisational inertia: The transition from conventional diesel buses to electric may require changed maintenance regimes, spare-parts supply chains, infrastructure (charging, depots) that existing systems were not fully ready for.
Diverted focus: While launching e-buses may have been a high-profile move, sustaining operations appears to have lacked equal emphasis.

04. Unique regional / contextual factors

Jammu & Kashmir’s geography and climate may add layers of challenge (cold weather, remote routes, perhaps slower supply of spares) more so than some low‐altitude, flat terrain cities.
Local operational context (routes, ridership, terrain) might not have been fully aligned with the e-bus model deployed.
If rural or low-demand routes were assigned to e-buses (where utilisation is lower), idle time would raise costs per km and weaken the model.

Consequences & Implications

01. For clean mobility and environmental goals

The grounding undermines the promise of e-bus adoption — that a region would shift away from conventional diesel fuel, reduce emissions and promote sustainable transport.
Idle e-buses represent sunk costs rather than active assets. The allure of “green transport” may suffer if operations are not sustainable.
Public trust: Citizens expecting reliable e-bus service may feel disappointed when vehicles sit idle — this can erode public confidence and reduce ridership, further damaging the business model.

02. For public transport service & commuter convenience

With over half of the electric fleet out of service, route frequency falls, service reliability drops and commuters face fewer options. The consequence: some may revert to private vehicles or shared taxis, increasing congestion and pollution.
Inequity: If assets meant to serve city and peri-urban commuters underperform, the burden falls on users (longer waits, crowded buses, higher fares or fewer routes).
Resource misallocation: Funds deployed for e-bus procurement and operations may not deliver expected returns; other service priorities may get crowded out.

03. For the financial health of JKSRTC and related agencies

Idle assets still incur depreciation, maintenance or storage costs, but generate no revenue — a double burden.
Pending liabilities (electricity tariffs, e-bus charging infrastructure costs) highlight that the cost of operations may have outpaced revenue.
Budget pressures may force diversion of subsidy funds or raise questions about scaling further e-bus fleets without solving ground issues.

04. For policy & planning in the region

This episode serves as a caution for scaling up e-bus systems in similar regions: procurement must go hand-in-hand with maintenance readiness, operational strategy and financial sustainability.
It will raise questions: Are the tender specifications, spare-parts provisioning, staff training and operational deployment aligned with local context? Are maintenance regimes built in from Day 1?
The slow or stalled operations may lead to delays in further e-bus rollout plans and may impact the region’s momentum in clean-transport goals.

What Needs to Be Done: A Roadmap for Fixing and Scaling E-Bus Operations in Jammu

01. Immediate corrective actions

Audit of idle fleet: JKSRTC should conduct a detailed technical audit of all grounded e-buses — identify the fault categories (compressors, batteries, tyres, etc), prioritise repair vs. replacement, and estimate cost/time to return to service.
Spare-parts strategy: Negotiations with Tata Motors (or relevant OEM) for more economical/commercially viable replacement parts (the reports mention talks to install newer compressors that cost less).
Staff upskilling and hiring: Urgent recruitment/training of mechanical staff specialised in e-bus technologies, battery systems, electric drivetrains, etc. Possibly tie in OEM training contracts.
Upgrade depot & charging infrastructure: Ensure depots are equipped with requisite charging infrastructure, rapid-charging capability, maintenance bays for e-bus systems and spare-parts inventory. Charging infrastructure reliability is critical.
Route optimisation & utilisation: Assign e-buses to routes with high utilisation where they can recover cost and avoid idle time. Avoid deploying them on low-demand routes until operational stability is achieved.

02. Medium-term structural reforms

Maintain an operations & maintenance (O&M) model: Instead of focusing only on procurement, build a lifecycle cost model: parts replacement, tyres, batteries, staffing, charging cost vs. revenue per km.
Public-private partnerships (PPP) or service contracts: Consider contracting portions of fleet maintenance to specialised firms under performance-based contracts, ensuring uptime.
Financial sustainability plan: Align fare structure, route design, subsidies and asset-replacement strategy so that e-bus operations are sustainable rather than purely subsidy-driven. One earlier document estimated a revenue gap of ₹625 crore over 10 years for the e-bus model in J&K under certain assumptions.
Data-driven fleet monitoring: Use telematics, GPS, maintenance-logs, condition monitoring to proactively manage asset health. Real-time insights can reduce downtime and maintenance surprises.
Stakeholder engagement & community usability: Engage commuters, collect feedback, monitor service reliability, adjust scheduling and routes based on demand patterns.

03. Long-term ambitions and scaling

Phased expansion: Instead of aggressively adding more e-buses, ensure the existing fleet is stabilized and perform reliably. Once operational robustness is proven, scale up with confidence.
Integrate with broader transport ecosystem: Ensure e-buses link seamlessly with other modes (metro, municipal buses, shared transport) so that system-wide ridership grows.
Leverage local conditions: Given Jammu & Kashmir’s topography and climate, design fleet and infrastructure suited to local needs (cold weather battery performance, terrain, robust spare-parts supply chains) so that technology mismatch is minimised.
Green credentials & funding: Use environment/clean-air programmes (e.g., NCAP) to secure grants/subsidies, but match these with realistic operational planning. One source noted the UT’s Department of Housing & Urban Development (H&UDD) was urged to examine funding needs for bus operations.

Broader Lessons & Socio-Economic Reflections

01. Technology adoption without operations readiness is risky

Electric-bus procurement often generates headlines, signalling ambition and green credentials. But unless maintenance, staffing and operational regimes are equally prepared, the assets may remain idle and the cost of failure high. The Jammu case underlines this principle.

02. Public transport as public good demands sustainability

For regions like J&K, public transport is not just commercial—it has social obligations (connectivity of remote areas, equitable access). Unless the business model is sustainable, such obligations strain resources. As an earlier audit report found, JKSRTC’s fleet had underutilisation and high cost per km.

03. Clean mobility is more than vehicles—it’s ecosystem

Switching to e-buses does not automatically solve pollution or transport constraints. One must consider: charging infrastructure, grid load, staff training, spare-parts logistics, vehicle-utilisation, route design. The “ecosystem” must be ready for the vehicles to deliver.

04. Regional specifics matter

J&K’s geography (mountainous terrain, harsh winters), smaller urban centres (compared to large metros), supply-chain constraints and limited technical manpower all mean the “one-size-fits-all” model from larger cities may not work directly. Adaptation to local context is key.

05. Public-investment risk & opportunity for local employment

Electric-bus fleets can generate new employment (maintenance staff, depot jobs, charging-station operations), but only if the underlying operations are healthy. Grounding such assets represents lost opportunity: the buses are idle, the jobs are unrealised and the service-delivery fails the public.

What the Stakeholders Should Do & What We Should Watch For

Key stakeholders and their roles

JKSRTC (the operator) – ensure fleet management, maintenance regimes, route optimisation, staff training.
Government (UT Transport / H&UD / Finance) – ensure subsidies, financial viability, policy consistency, staff recruitment, infrastructure investment.
OEM / Manufacturer (Tata Motors, etc.) – provide spare-parts support, technical training, warranty regimes, spare-parts cost control.
**Commuters / Public – usage patterns, feedback, support demand growth.
**Financiers / Urban mobility planners – ensure fleet-operational model is sustainable, integrate e-buses into wider mobility strategy.

What to monitor in coming months

Number of grounded e-buses returned to service; percentage uptick in active fleet.
Average uptime per bus, breakdown frequency, maintenance cost per bus/month.
Route utilisation: kilometre covered per day per bus, number of passengers per kilometre.
Cost per km vs revenue per km for e-bus operations in Jammu.
Staffing numbers: number of trained mechanics/technicians employed for e-bus maintenance.
Spare-parts cost trends: e.g., cost negotiations for compressors, battery modules, other key components.
Charging-infrastructure availability: number of charging stations, utilisation rates, downtime.
Impact on ridership, modal‐shift from private vehicles or shared taxis to e-buses.
Budget/financials: subsidies paid, fare revision (for example, fare hike of 7 % in April 2025 across e-bus fleet in J&K was announced).

Bottom-Line

The grounding of over half the e-bus fleet in Jammu is a wake-up call for the region’s clean-mobility ambitions and a case study in what can go wrong when procurement outpaces operations readiness. The good news is that the facts are visible, the issues flagged and corrective steps feasible. With proper audit, training, spare-parts strategy and route optimisation, the fleet can be revived.

From a socio-economic lens, this episode is a reminder that public transport initiatives—especially green ones—need both vision and execution. The promise of electric buses is not merely about buying the vehicles, but ensuring they serve the public, operate reliably and deliver on sustainability.

For J&K and JKSRTC, achieving that will mean turning these idle buses into active assets—not just in terms of mobility, but in jobs created, pollution avoided, commuters served and trust built.