The Noida Authority has finalised to ply 100 low floor AC buses in next four months. Also, Metro feeder bus service would be provided to commuters on different routes.
The move was taken to improve better public transport service in Noida, Greater Noida and between Noida and Greater Noida. “A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) will be inked with Noida Metro Rail Corporation (NMRC) and bus operator company will be finalised soon,” said a senior Noida Authority official.
Around 50,000 commuters would be benefitted by integrated city bus service project. 292 more low-floor buses will be taken under this project in the next phase.
Sandeep Chandra, NOIDA’s traffic-cell in-charge, told The Pioneer that a private bus operator company has been finalised that made the lowest bid of Rs 99.60/ kilometer.
“The project would be finalised next week as Authority consultant’s UNTC (Urban Mass Transit Company) will have to examine the rate on the basis of mileage and running cost etc. Besides this, the lowest bid claimed by operator also has to be within justified costs, a benchmark set by the All State Road Transport Undertaking. Also, a budget would be finalised for City Bus Service project from Noida and Greater Noida Authorities,” he said.
Out of 100 buses, Chandra said NMRC will operate 40 buses in Noida, 30 buses in Greater Noida and 30 buses between Noida and Greater Noida. These buses would be technically equipped with Intelligent Transport Management System (ITMS) and the bus and bus stops would be connected through GPS and PIS technology. “GPS systems will help to ensure that the driver logs his working hours accurately.
“It will also display real-time update of respective destination inside the buses. Commuters waiting for a bus at bus shelter will update themselves about bus’s arriving,” Chandara said.
Authority official said, “Around 280 bus shelters are being constructed on proposed routes. The buses would be parked in bus depot spread on 25 acre land in sector-94.