E-Paper
How will Gurgaon reach the Metro?
This is the question troubling most locals in a city notorious for its lack of efficient internal transport. Auto rickshaws do not ply in Gurgaon and neither is there a feeder bus system in place to ferry residents to metro stations. And the Haryana government appears to be in no hurry to resolve the issue.
The Metro is reaching Gurgaon in mid-June. But how will Gurgaon reach the Metro?
This is the question troubling most locals in a city notorious for its lack of efficient internal transport. Auto rickshaws do not ply in Gurgaon and neither is there a feeder bus system in place to ferry residents to metro stations. And the Haryana government appears to be in no hurry to resolve the issue.
Although the government has announced plans to launch 450 mini and low-floor buses (60 percent air conditioned ones) before the Commonwealth Games in a phased manner (60 percent air conditioned ones), the execution is looking to be painfully slow.
The government is yet to float expression of interest (EOI) and invite bids from private players for the project which it plans to launch on PPP (public private partnership) mode.
“EOI would take few more months more as we are still to formulate details of the PPP project for launching over 400 buses for intra-city needs of Gurgaon alone,” Smir Mathur, the finance commissioner (Transport & aviation), Haryana government told Hindustan Times over phone.
Meanwhile, Daljit Singh, DMRC's chief project manager for the Gurgaon line, said they had no plans to start feeder bus service for Gurgaon Metro stations. He said, “We hope Haryana will soon start its intra-city bus service with special focus on Metro station connectivity.”
Those Affected
Residents most affected by the lack of clean, safe internal transport are women and senior citizens living in far off localities such as Sector 55/56/57, DLF Phase V, Sushant Lok II & III, Sector 46 and beyond, Sohna Road, Palam vihar, Udyog Vihar.
