Five buses powered by compressed natural gas (CNG) that will ply from New Town to the Ultadanga station were launched on Monday.
The buses are part of the transport department’s initiative to replace buses that run on diesel with more environment-friendly options.
The buses will run from the bus terminus in Action Area III opposite the Sukhobrishti Housing Complex to the Ultadanga railway station around 17km away.
Each bus is expected to do more than a dozen trips a day, said a senior official of the transport department.
The Telegraph had reported in April about the township’s lack of transport options and the residents’ demand for more buses linking New Town with other parts of the city.
The need for adequate public transport is being felt acutely now as most Covid restrictions have been withdrawn and a large number of residents are having to commute to their workplaces.
On Monday, the buses were unveiled by transport minister Firhad Hakim.
Hakim said that the transport department was going to replace the diesel-powered government-run fleet with buses fuelled with greener options like battery or CNG.
“The buses will not only help residents but also help office goers and other commuters who get off at Ultadanga station to reach New Town, where there are a large number of offices and other commercial establishments. We wanted to have buses powered by CNG as they have a much lower carbon footprint compared to their diesel-powered counterparts,” said Hakim.
All the buses will go through Sector V, too. This will help commuters reach the tech township as well, Hakim added.
The minimum fare has been fixed at Rs 20 for the first 5km, said a senior official of the transport department.
The next fare slab has been fixed at Rs 25. A trip from the Ultadanga railway station to the Sukhobrishti bus terminus will cost passengers Rs 35.
New Town already has a fleet of electric buses.
