The Chief Minister flagged off new electric and hydrogen buses in Noida to expand clean transport and improve air connectivity. He noted Prayagraj Airport had been completed within 11 months and that the country’s largest airport had been built at Jewar. He said Ayodhya now has an airport dedicated to Maharishi Valmiki and that Uttar Pradesh has five international airports: Lucknow, Ayodhya, Kashi, Kushinagar and Noida, with Noida poised to develop as a passenger, cargo and MRO hub.

He observed that metro services operate in seven cities of Uttar Pradesh out of 20 cities nationwide and that the state runs more than 700 electric buses across 17 municipal corporations, a facility now being extended to Noida. He added that previously electric buses were procured from outside the state but that Tata Motors and Ashok Leyland of the Hinduja Group have each established two electric bus manufacturing plants in Lucknow to enable local production.

He said three hydrogen buses would be introduced in the Yamuna Authority area and have been provided to the Yamuna Expressway Industrial Development Authority by NTPC. Hydrogen for these buses will be produced from treated sewer water rather than from groundwater or surface water, reflecting a move towards green hydrogen mobility. The buses will also operate near Jewar Airport and are intended to reduce air pollution and protect children, senior citizens and patients.

He informed that to pursue a net-zero target the State Government has launched the Uttar Pradesh Clean Air Management Project with World Bank assistance of Rs 27,410 million (mn). He recalled that nine years ago urban areas primarily used halogen streetlights and that in 2017 the government installed more than 1.5 mn LED streetlights, which led to energy savings and reduced carbon emissions. He also emphasised that priority will be given to unemployed youth in rural transport operations and that several ministers attended the event.