E-Bus rollout anticipated in June: Charging bays and substations to be constructed soon

In anticipation of incorporating 100 electric buses into the city’s existing fleet, GMDA is in the process of selecting an agency for the installation of substations at the Sector 10 depot. The introduction of e-buses in Gurgaon is expected to be completed by June this year. Presently, Gurugram Metropolitan City Bus Limited (GMCBL) operates 150 buses along 25 routes across the city, with an average daily ridership of 90,000 passengers.

Another 50 buses of GMCBL are being used in neighbouring Faridabad on the state government’s orders. A GMDA official said on Tuesday that the authority will install three compact substations for the e-buses to use for charging. The charging bays will be developed by the concessionaire hired by the central government, the official added.

The authority will spend Rs 2.7 crore for the 11kv substation and work will take around four months to complete. Though the initial plan was to get 50 e-buses from the Haryana transport department, the state later opted for the Centre’s scheme launched in August 2023 to encourage the use of electric vehicles.

These 9-metre-long AC midi-buses (larger than a mini-bus, but smaller than a full-size one) are being brought under the gross-cost contract model. In this, the buses will be owned and and maintained by the operator, who will be paid a specific sum to provide the service for a determined period. “We have now floated the tender for installation of substations and we will try to complete the process on a priority. While the timeline has been set at four months after allotment of work, we will try to finish it up before the deadline,” the GMDA official said.

The electric buses are expected to be deployed around new sectors along the Dwarka Expressway and on routes covering the Southern Peripheral Road.
The new sectors have witnessed rapid growth over the years, but the lack of robust public transportation remains a major challenge for thousands living in the area.

Expressing her relief, Prateeksha Khurana, residing in Sector 86, mentioned her preference for having the bus option. She highlighted the challenges of a costly daily commute, stating that the cab fare to her office in Udyog Vihar-IV exceeds Rs 500. Khurana emphasized that the introduction of bus services in the area would be a more economical and environmentally friendly choice compared to her current transportation expenses.