UP Cabinet Approves 1,725 AC Electric Buses for 18 Cities

Lucknow, Oct 9 : The Uttar Pradesh government has approved the operation of 1,725 air-conditioned electric buses in 18 cities across the state under the Gross Cost Contract (GCC) model to strengthen urban public transport and improve passenger amenities.

The decision was taken at a cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Friday.

The scheme will cover Agra, Aligarh, Ayodhya, Bareilly, Firozabad, Ghaziabad, Gorakhpur, Jhansi, Kanpur, Lucknow, Mathura-Vrindavan, Meerut, Moradabad, Prayagraj, Shahjahanpur, Saharanpur, Varanasi and Noida, including Jewar.

The fleet will comprise nine-metre and 12-metre air-conditioned electric buses, with the contract period fixed at 12 years from the date of commencement of commercial operations.

Uttar Pradesh Urban Development Minister Arvind Kumar Sharma said 1,725 additional electric buses would soon be introduced in the 18 cities.

Under the allocation plan, Agra and Ghaziabad will receive 100 buses each, while Mathura-Vrindavan will get 50. Aligarh and Firozabad will receive 25 buses each. Meerut will get 100 buses, Shahjahanpur 25, Bareilly 25, Moradabad 25 and Saharanpur 25.

Noida, including Jewar, will receive 100 buses, while Varanasi will get 250 and Ayodhya 50. Lucknow and Kanpur will receive 300 buses each, Gorakhpur 150, Prayagraj 50 and Jhansi 25.

Under the GCC model, private operators will be responsible for procuring buses, installing the necessary charging infrastructure, deploying drivers and technical personnel, and undertaking bus operations and maintenance.

The operators will be paid an Operation and Maintenance (O&M) fee linked to prescribed performance standards, while the government will determine passenger fares.

The scheme also provides a grant of Rs 40 lakh for each 12-metre electric bus and Rs 35 lakh for each nine-metre bus. The respective municipal corporations and the Noida Authority will provide land free of cost, as required, for the construction of bus depots.

According to the government, the involvement of private operators is expected to reduce the financial burden on the state while improving service quality, operational efficiency, punctuality and passenger satisfaction. Competition among operators is also expected to encourage the adoption of advanced technology and better services.

Private operators will be selected through a tendering process and awarded contracts under the scheme.

In line with the Transport Department's policy for procuring new electric buses, the government has also proposed giving priority to buses manufactured in Uttar Pradesh at the L-1 rate, subject to the applicable procurement conditions.

The move is expected to promote bus manufacturing and related supply-chain industries in the state and generate employment opportunities at the local level.