GMDA seeks 12 acre land for bus depot, plans to run 900 buses in 3 years

The move comes after the proposal to build this terminal in Bhangrola had to be dropped due to narrow width of the approach road

Gurugram: The Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA) has urged the Haryana state industrial and infrastructure development corporation (HSIIDC) to provide 12 acres to build a bus depot and terminal in Naharpur Kasan near Manesar as it plans to add 200 new buses to the city’s fleet by year-end.

The authority plans to add 900 buses to the city bus service in next three years, for which new bus terminals are being set up. (Parveen Kumar/HT Photos)

The move comes after the proposal to build this terminal in Bhangrola had to be dropped due to narrow width of the approach road. The authority plans to add 900 buses to the city bus service in next three years, for which new bus terminals are being set up, said officials.

Currently, the Gurugram Metropolitan City Bus Limited (GMCBL), a subsidiary of GMDA, runs 200 CNG buses, of which 150 operate in Gurugram and 50 in Faridabad.

GMDA officials said that a key reason to set up bus depot in Manesar is that the demand for bus travel between Gurugram and IMT Manesar and adjoining areas is quite high, and it is expected to rise further. But during early morning and late evening hours, they were operating empty buses.

“Already the number of trips between Gurugram and Manesar is high and it will increase once more buses are added. The bus depot will ensure that there is no dead mileage for city buses and more routes can be covered. There is also demand for city bus service in neighbouring town and in view of this a bus depot at Manesar is necessary,” said a senior GMDA requesting anonymity.

The authority expects 200 electric buses to join the existing fleet under the PM-ebus Sewa Scheme, while another 200 will be procured by the GMDA next year. The state government has approved proposal.

Around 12-acre has been identified in village Naharpur Kasan near Manesar. It is owned by the HSIIDC and suitable for city bus depot and terminal, the senior GMDA official said.

“The authority has sought transfer of this land from HSIIDC as it can be used for building a bus terminal -- an urgent requirement -- as the city bus service is expanding, and we are expecting 200 buses to be added to the fleet this year and an equal number to be added next year. Though this land falls in the open space category. But the land use can be changed in public interest,” he said.

In Gurugram, “open space category land” typically refers to areas designated for parks, playgrounds, green belts, and other recreational spaces, as well as buffer zones around development projects.

The authority at present has built three bus depots, two at Sector 10 (including extension), one at Sector 52/53. A fourth bus depot is being developed at Sector 48. All these four depots have a capacity to accommodate 400 buses.

“The work on the fourth depot is going on in full swing. We will be able to accommodate around 100 buses at this station,” the official said.

In a related development, the GMDA said that they have also received an approval for transfer of ₹40 crore to the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram to acquire around seven acre in Sector 103 near the Dwarka expressway where a bus depot will be constructed.

The bus depot at sector 103 will have the capacity to accommodate 100 buses, while the under construction bus depot at sector 48 will also have capacity of 100 buses.

“The bus depot near the Dwarka expressway will cater to the developing sectors along the expressway and sectors in Old Gurugram apart from catering to neighbouring Delhi,” the GMDA official added.