Noida: While Delhi has rapidly expanded its electric bus fleet, with e-buses accounting for about 40% of Delhi Transport Corporation’s daily ridership, Noida’s transition to cleaner transport remains largely confined to cabs, cars and two-wheelers, despite years of policy intent, pilot projects and announced rollout plans.Transport department data shows that Noida has more than 12 lakh registered vehicles, but EVs account for just a fraction of 2.5% or just 30,000. Of these, over 500 are electric taxis, 3,400 electric cars, 12,000 electric three-wheelers, 14,000 private electric cars and just nine are private-run electric buses. By comparison, Delhi’s electric bus fleet expanded from around 300 in 2022 to 1,725 by 2026.Assistant regional transport officer (ARTO) Nand Kumar told TOI the uptake of electric vehicles in Noida was gradual but improving. “Registration of electric vehicles has been slow, but the govt is offering exemptions in registration fees, and efforts are being made to expedite the process,” he said.However, multiple proposals to roll out e-buses have largely remained on paper. In Dec last year, Uttar Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (UPSRTC) and Switch Mobility, an e-bus manufacturer, proposed to operate city buses from Gaur Chowk to Pari Chowk via the Botanical Garden bus stand, covering a stretch of about 40 km. While an electric bus remains stationed at the Morna depot, operations have been delayed due to the lack of a dedicated maintenance yard, officials said. At present, the UPSRTC’s Noida depot operates 188 CNG buses, connecting Noida with Ghaziabad, Bulandshahr, Meerut, Agra and Aligarh, as well as long-distance routes to Lucknow and Dehradun. A far more ambitious plan to roll out 500 e-buses across Noida, Greater Noida and Yamuna Expressway region has also remained stuck at the planning stage. The proposal, involving the three industrial development authorities, hinges on the formation of a special purpose vehicle (SPV), which has yet to materialise.The Rs 675-crore e-bus project was conceived to improve intra-city connectivity and link the upcoming Noida International Airport in Jewar with major residential, commercial and industrial hubs. But officials told TOI the plan hit a roadblock with the three authorities reluctant to procure all 500 e-buses in one phase. Concerns include the high viability gap funding burden, insufficient charging and depot infrastructure, and delays in setting up the SPV.In Dec last year, Noida Authority officials indicated that a fresh assessment was underway. Under the revised approach, YEIDA may begin with around 50 buses, Greater Noida with about 15, and Noida with a reduced fleet, rather than a single large rollout. The project, first proposed in 2024, was designed to operate on 25 routes—15 under Noida Authority, seven under Greater Noida and the remainder in YEIDA areas. In June that year, the Directorate of Urban Transport selected two operators, Travel Time Mobility India and Delbus Mobility, to run the service under a gross cost contract model.According to officials, experience has made the three authorities cautious. In 2016, Noida Metro Rail Corporation launched 50 feeder buses to support its metro services. The project was scrapped in 2020 after low ridership, averaging about 10,000 passengers a day, generated revenues far short of the monthly operating costs of Rs 3 crore.In contrast, Ghaziabad has made relatively more progress. UPSRTC currently operates 38 e-buses in the district, while 14 services are run by private operators. ARTO Ghaziabad Ashok Kumar Shrivastava told TOI the district has about 8.5 lakh registered vehicles, of which nearly 15,000 are EVs, excluding e-rickshaws. These include more than 6,000 e-carts, 5,000 two-wheelers, 3,000 three-wheelers, 1,600 four-wheelers and 52 buses. E-buses, he added, enjoy full exemption from registration fees and do not require permits, allowing them to operate freely within the city.“E-buses in the roadways fleet operate from Sahibabad bus depot. Of 38 buses, 10 are operational as of now. The rest will be made operational within a week. We are installing EV charging stations, and once done, we will be able to operate all 38 e-buses from Ghaziabad,” UPSRTC regional manager KN Choudhary said.Private operators, however, remain wary. Bus associations argue that electric city bus services are not financially viable without substantial govt support. Noida Bus Association president Sandeep Dhupar said the association operates about 1,200 CNG buses. “There is a huge capital gap. A CNG bus costs around Rs 50 lakh, while an electric bus costs close to Rs 1 crore. Recovering that investment is difficult, as corporates, private companies and schools are unwilling to pay higher fares,” he said, adding that Delhi’s electric buses are largely govt-funded.Shyam Lal Gola, general secretary of the Delhi Interstate Bus Operators Sangh, pointed out that e-buses can cost between Rs 1 crore and Rs 1.8 crore. “Though subsidies and charging infrastructure are announced, but costs remain double that of CNG buses. Charging stations for private players are still inadequate in Delhi and Noida. Without lower capital costs and better infrastructure, private investment is unlikely,” he said.
