Hinduja Group firm SWITCH Mobility begins delivery of electric buses to Delhi govt

Mumbai, Aug 28 (PTI) Hinduja Group firm SWITCH Mobility on Thursday said it began the delivery of its low-floor electric buses EiV12 to the Delhi government as part of an order for 950 such vehicles.

The first batch of the fleet was flagged off by Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta.

"These low-floor electric city buses, engineered with advanced global technology and manufactured in India, will significantly enhance Delhi's public transport ecosystem while contributing to cleaner air and improved quality of life for millions of commuters," said R G Venkataraman, Chief Commercial Officer at SWITCH Mobility.

The company said it bagged the order for the Delhi transport department through a bidding floated by Energy Efficiency Services Ltd (EESL) wholly-owned subsidiary Convergence Energy Services Ltd.

These 12 metres long 39-seater electric buses are equipped with advanced safety and passenger convenience features, including a wheelchair ramp for differently-abled passengers, CCTV cameras, panic buttons, and GPS tracking, the company said.

*** Chandigarh-based startup launches MrProptek platform * A Chandigarh-based startup has launched a platform '“MrProptek', which, it claimed, is designed as a one-stop ecosystem where buyers can explore real estate projects through virtual reality walkthroughs.

"Quick real estate cannot just be about 10-minute booking hype. For buyers, what truly matters is trust, accessibility, and the right set of choices, KS Bhatia, CEO of MrProptek, said in a statement.

The platform will also allow buyers to use an AI-driven property search engine to discover the right fit, compare multiple properties side by side, enter into virtual negotiations with builders in real time, book free cabs for site visits to ensure physical verification, secure bookings with just Rs 10,000 or 0.1 per cent of property value, the statement said.

The platform has already onboarded Rs 10,000 crore worth of builder inventory in its pilot region of Chandigarh Tricity and aims to scale up to Rs 50,000 crore across India by Diwali, starting with expansions into Mumbai and Bengaluru.

*** IHG Hotels & Resorts inks pact to develop Holiday Inn Express & Suites Gwalior * IHG Hotels & Resorts on Thursday announced the signing of a management agreement with Dutta Buildcon for development of Holiday Inn Express & Suites Gwalior in Madhya Pradesh, which is expected to open in early 2029.

"We're thrilled to bring Holiday Inn Express & Suites to Gwalior. This signing not only expands our footprint in Central India but also demonstrates how IHG delivers 'more where it matters most' in emerging hubs. As demand grows for world-class accommodations in India's dynamic secondary cities, this signing reflects our commitment to strategic partnerships that fuel regional tourism and economic development," IHG Hotels & Resorts Managing Director, South West Asia, Sudeep Jain said in a statement.

IHG currently has 51 hotels operating across six brands in India and a strong pipeline of 72 hotels due to open in the next 3-5 years.

This includes 17 operating Holiday Inn Express hotels in the country, with another 21 in the pipeline. PTI IAS VSD SM HVA SHW