- Services to be operated under the Gross Cost Contract (GCC) model, giving urban transport a modern and environmentally friendly makeover
- Passengers to benefit from improved facilities; private investment to enhance service quality
- Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath approves a total of 24 proposals
Lucknow: In the Cabinet meeting held under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, approval was granted for the operation of 1,725 air-conditioned electric buses in 18 cities across Uttar Pradesh under the Gross Cost Contract (GCC) model.
The ambitious initiative aims to make urban transport more modern, safe, environmentally sustainable, and passenger-friendly.
Under the scheme, a total of 1,725 AC electric buses in the 9-metre and 12-metre categories will be deployed in Agra, Aligarh, Ayodhya, Bareilly, Firozabad, Ghaziabad, Gorakhpur, Jhansi, Kanpur, Lucknow, Mathura-Vrindavan, Meerut, Moradabad, Prayagraj, Shahjahanpur, Saharanpur, Varanasi, and Noida (including Jewar). These buses will be operated by private operators under the GCC model, with a contract period of 12 years from the date of commencement of commercial operations.
Providing details of the Cabinet decisions, Finance and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Suresh Khanna stated that the Cabinet approved a total of 24 proposals.
Under the GCC model, private operators will be responsible for the procurement of buses, establishment of charging infrastructure, deployment of drivers and technical staff, as well as the operation and maintenance of the buses.
They will be paid operation and maintenance charges based on prescribed performance standards.
The scheme also provides a subsidy of ₹40 lakh per 12-metre electric bus and ₹35 lakh per 9-metre electric bus.
Land required for the construction of depots will be provided free of cost by the respective municipal corporations and the Noida Authority.
Fare structures and user charges will be determined by the state government.
The initiative is expected to significantly improve the quality of public transportation, reduce pollution, and provide passengers with comfortable, safe, and timely travel services.
At the same time, private investment will help reduce the government’s financial burden and strengthen modern urban transport infrastructure across the state’s cities.
It is noteworthy that the Directorate of Urban Transport is currently operating 743 electric buses across 15 municipal corporation areas in Uttar Pradesh.
