The board of Gurugram Metropolitan City Bus Limited (GMCBL) on Tuesday approved a proposal to induct 25 new standard-floor, BS-VI compliant CNG buses into its fleet, replacing 25 older buses that are no longer operationally efficient, officials said.
Event Context
During the 40th board meeting, Chaudhary also informed directors that commuters can now pay fares through any UPI-enabled application across GMCBL services. He said digital transactions now account for around 30% of all passenger fare payments.
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Match Outlook
A senior GMCBL official said the proposal was submitted by the concessionaire and approved by the board. The new 12-metre buses, each with a seating capacity of 36 passengers, will replace the existing fleet. Officials said GMCBL currently operates a fleet of 150 buses, and the overall fleet size will remain unchanged after the replacement of the 25 old CNG buses. The new buses are expected to be inducted over the next three months. A decision on the existing buses will be taken later as they are owned by the concessionaire, officials added.
Vishwajeet Chaudhary, CEO, GMCBL, said the induction of the new buses will improve fleet reliability, commuter comfort and the dependability of public transport services. “The new buses will strengthen the existing fleet and reduce the breakdowns. We are also inducting electric buses in the fleet, and this will be done in phases in the coming few months. New electric buses enable us to expand the city bus service in several new areas,” he said.
Chaudhary said the first fully air-conditioned 25-seater electric bus has been delivered to GMCBL and will shortly undergo operational trials. “The bus is the first of a new fleet of electric buses planned for Gurugram. Another 24 electric buses are expected to be inducted into the GMCBL fleet shortly, while a total of 100 electric buses will be added in phases,” he added.
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According to GMCBL officials, the electric buses will have a range of more than 236 kilometres on a single charge and can be fully charged in about 30 minutes. The buses will also have six seats reserved for women, reserved seating for senior citizens and dedicated wheelchair space for differently abled passengers.
