UP Roadways conducts viability study to decide taxi, bus service fare from IGI airport

The UP roadways is also exploring the option of empowering local district administration to engage private taxi operators as per local demand.

The Uttar Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (UPSRTC) is conducting a viability study on fare structure of buses and taxis in different districts in order to finalise the price structure of chartered bus and taxi services proposed to ferry commuters from Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport to Noida, Ghaziabad and other districts.

The Uttar Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation formed a three-member committee to review the order and submit recommendations to revise the fare structure. (Sanjeev Verma/HT file photo)

Raj Shekhar, UPSRTC managing director, said that the committee has not submitted its report yet. “The committee is conducting a detailed study and most likely will submit a report on Saturday. Different districts have different fare structures and Noida and Ghaziabad’s fare will be different from Lucknow and Moradabad. The committee is also conducting region-wise study to finalise the fare structure from Delhi airport to Noida, Ghaziabad and other districts,” he said.

The UPSRTC has over 10,000 buses and some taxis in different districts. “We are also studying about the demand and supply from the airport. If the passengers are few, then it will be difficult for UP Roadways to run buses and taxis to distant places,” he said. The corporation is also getting feedbacks and suggestions from private taxi and bus operators for the proposed service. “Their suggestions will be incorporated in finalization of the fare structure,” Shekhar said.

The UP roadways is also exploring the option of empowering local district administration to engage private taxi operators as per local demand. Shekhar said that the taxis of the UP roadways are reserved for protocol services. “The Central government may announce a lockdown extension and issue some guidelines soon. We will finalise our move accordingly,” he said.

The UPSRTC had faced criticism after it issued a letter on May 9 to the corporation’s regional managers in Noida and Ghaziabad, informing them that they will facilitate travel of residents — brought back from foreign countries under the Vande Bharat Mission — from Delhi airport to Noida and Ghaziabad and other nearby areas and charge Rs 10,000 for taxi for up to 250km radius, and Rs 1,000 per seat in a bus for commuting 100km. People in Noida and Ghaziabad had criticized the move as the two district share boundary with Delhi. On Thursday, the corporation formed a three-member committee to review the order and submit recommendations to revise the fare structure.