November 4: Cimex Inc Pvt Ltd, a supplier that was in dispute for importing substandard electric buses, is now providing new electric buses to the government after two years.

The project head of the company Sahil Shrestha informed that the company will provide the electric buses to the government after completing the due processes within a month as per the agreement reached with the government.

Stating that they are the mediator between Chinese manufacturer BYD and the Government of Nepal, he further informed that the vehicles have already reached Kolkata port.

“Five big electric buses including 14 small ones have already arrived in Kolkata,”  Shrestha said.

Although Cimex Inc had promised to provide new buses within April, they were not able to do so due to coronavirus.

Spokesperson of the Ministry of Tourism Kamal Prasad Bhattarai said that the buses will be operated in Lumbini after they have been tested.

“The company has said that the buses have already arrived but technical tests are yet to be done. After doing the necessary tests, we will carry out the necessary processes to acquire the vehicles according to the agreement.”

The buses were procured by the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation under a grant from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to operate electric buses from Gautam Buddha International Airport to Lumbini.

The ministry had purchased those buses for Lumbini Development Trust from the Chinese company BYD.

Out of Rs 290 million provided by the ADB, five buses were purchased for Rs 87.5 million.