The board of Gurugram Metropolitan City Bus Limited (GMCBL) approved the induction of 25 new standard-floor, BS-VI compliant CNG buses into its fleet to replace 25 older vehicles no longer operationally efficient. The new 12-metre buses have a seating capacity of 36 passengers and will join a fleet that will remain at 150 buses after replacement. The induction process is expected to take place over the next three months.

The proposal was submitted by the concessionaire and received board approval, while a decision on the disposition of the existing non-operational buses will be taken later as the vehicles are owned by the concessionaire. Officials indicated the replacements aim to strengthen reliability and reduce breakdowns without altering fleet size.

Gurugram Metropolitan City Bus Limited chief executive officer Vishwajeet Chaudhary said the new buses will improve fleet reliability, enhance commuter comfort and increase the dependability of public transport services. He added that the authority intends to induct electric buses in phases in the coming months to expand city bus service into additional areas.

One air-conditioned 25-seater electric bus has been delivered to GMCBL and will shortly undergo operational trials, with another 24 electric buses expected to be inducted into the GMCBL fleet shortly and a total of 100 electric buses planned to be added in phases. The electric buses are reported to offer a range of more than 236 kilometres on a single charge and to be capable of a full recharge in about 30 minutes.

The vehicles will include six seats reserved for women, dedicated seating for senior citizens and wheelchair space for differently abled passengers to improve accessibility. During the 40th board meeting officials also noted that commuters can pay fares through any UPI-enabled application and that digital transactions now account for around 30 per cent of passenger fare payments.