Gurgaon: Electric buses have hit the roads. The city has added 71 electric buses to Gurugram Metropolitan City Bus Limited’s (GMCBL) fleet, while the registration of the remaining buses — 29 — is underway. This is part of the 100 e-buses which are to be inducted. Commuters across eight routes have begun using 35 e-buses even as their formal launch remains pending. Thirty-six other buses will start operations soon. The 25-seater buses have been introduced with fares of Rs 15 for distances up to 6km, Rs 25 for 6-13km and Rs 35 for journeys beyond 13km.The rollout came after the planned launch of the first batch of 50 electric buses was put on hold last week. At present, 150 CNG buses operate in the city under GMCBL. The addition of 100 e-buses is expected to expand the existing fleet and improve last-mile connectivity, particularly for commuters travelling between residential sectors and metro stations. The e-buses have started carrying passengers as part of trial operations, connecting residential sectors with metro stations, the railway station, major commercial and industrial areas and Delhi as well. They are currently operating from the Sector 10 bus depot. While the trial was already on, passengers started using these buses last week.The eight routes include Gurgaon Bus Stand to Pataudi Railway Station via Haily Mandi, IMT Chowk to Delhi’s Dwarka Sector 21 Metro Station, Sector 37 (Pace City-II) to Millennium City Centre Metro Station and Conscient Habitat in Sector 99A to Guru Dronacharya Metro Station. Other routes connect Bhondsi Police Chowki with Mahavir Chowk, Gurgaon Railway Station with Dhana Mode and Conscient Habitat in Sector 99A with Kendriya Vihar.Chief minister Nayab Singh Saini and Union minister Manohar Lal Khattar were scheduled to flag off the buses at the newly constructed Sector 48 bus depot, which was also to be inaugurated on the occasion. However, the ceremony was shelved due to Khattar’s unavailability.While the formal inauguration is still awaited, GMCBL has gone ahead with trial operations to assess the buses’ performance on city roads and their readiness for regular passenger services. Bharat Nain, a Sector 110 resident, said the electric buses were comfortable, fully covered and offered a good commuting experience. However, he said greater awareness about the services was needed so that more commuters could benefit from them. “If more people are made aware of these services, it will encourage them to use the buses. The fares are also reasonable. I have used both the DTC and city e-buses. However, for more people to shift to public transport, the frequency of buses needs to improve. Commuters cannot be expected to wait for half an hour or an hour for a bus,” he said. Nain also stressed the need to coordinate bus timings with metro services and extend operations until late at night, keeping in mind people returning from offices in Delhi and those travelling to and from Dwarka and the airport. “I took an e-bus from Sector 21 metro station to Sector 109 other day and it was a comfortable ride,” Nain added.GMCBL CEO Vishwajeet Chaudhary said the addition of electric buses would strengthen the city’s public transport network and improve connectivity. “This reflected GMCBL’s commitment to providing efficient, environment-friendly and sustainable public transport facilities,” Chaudhary said, adding, “The trial phase will help the corporation assess passenger response, route connectivity and operational efficiency. Once all buses are registered and regular operations begin, the expanded fleet is expected to provide more options for daily commuters while reducing vehicular emissions.”
