AC buses to cover all trans-Hindon townships, go up to Modinagar

  • | Friday | 6th July, 2018

“Route maps need to be designed in a manner that will make the city bus service a financially sustainable model. Chief minister Yogi Adityanath had during his visit to Ghaziabad on June 25 given an approval for the electric buses. At present, Ghaziabad lacks a proper city bus service, unlike Delhi or Noida. Route maps and bus stops in trans-Hindon areas, including Indirapuram, Vaishali, Vasundhara and Kaushambi, have been identified. Ghaziabad is among seven cities across the state where electric buses will ply by the year-end.The other cities are Lucknow, Varanasi, Kanpur, Agra, Allahabad and Gorakhpur.

GHAZIABAD: The public transport system in Ghaziabad city is likely to get a boost by the year-end, with the UP government planning to introduce 100 air-conditioned low-floor buses that will run on electricity. Ghaziabad is among seven cities across the state where electric buses will ply by the year-end.The other cities are Lucknow, Varanasi, Kanpur, Agra, Allahabad and Gorakhpur. At present, Ghaziabad lacks a proper city bus service, unlike Delhi or Noida. Commuters who find the existing metro route between Anand Vihar and Vaishali difficult to access have to depend on overcrowded auto-rickshaws and private buses to travel. The electric buses in the city will be maintained and operated by the Ghaziabad Municipal Corporation, which is the nodal agency for the project.Officials in the municipal corporation said they had sent a draft route map identifying the proposed stops to the urban transport directorate earlier this week. The directorate had, through a letter on June 28, informed the civic body that it would provide 100 electric buses for Ghaziabad city.The officials said the cost of the buses would be met from funds the UP government receives under the Centre’s Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation scheme. Chief minister Yogi Adityanath had during his visit to Ghaziabad on June 25 given an approval for the electric buses. Sources said the government was expected to soon form a special purpose vehicle among various agencies at the district level, including the UP State Road Transport Corporation (UPSRTC), for implementing the bus service.“Major route maps, depots where charging infrastructure for the buses can be installed, proposed stops and the status of availability of power for the buses have been sent to the urban transport directorate. These need to be approved by the state government. Route maps and bus stops in trans-Hindon areas, including Indirapuram, Vaishali, Vasundhara and Kaushambi, have been identified. The bus service will also be available to areas as far as Modinagar , Loni and Pilakhuwa,” Ghaziabad municipal commissioner Chandra Prakash Singh said.Sources said Ghaziabad had been included on the list of seven cities for electric buses because of sustained pushing by local MP Gen. VK Singh. “Route maps need to be designed in a manner that will make the city bus service a financially sustainable model. A detailed traffic management plan needs to be prepared after gathering feedback from residents about the need for bus stops,” said Alok Kumar, president of the Federation of Apartment Owners Association. The state roadways department would be made a part of the SPV and its depots and bus stops used for the service. “At present, we have 950 buses originating from various depots of Ghaziabad. But there is no local service and all buses ply on inter-district and inter-state routes. We have no count of the unauthorised private buses plying on various routes to meet the demand shortfall,” UPSRTC regional manager Akhilesh Singh told TOI.

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