Public transport in Lucknow is set for a major boost, with the city being allotted 300 new air-conditioned electric buses which will operate on 14 routes connecting several residential, commercial and educational hubs across the state capital. However, these routes are just proposed, the final route chart is yet to be finalised.
The allocation comes as part of the state government’s approval for procuring 1,725 electric buses for 18 urban centres. While Lucknow City Transport already had 125 buses, the city has now been allotted an additional 300 buses.
Officials said the buses will be deployed within the municipal limits and are expected to benefit around 25,000 to 30,000 commuters every day by improving connectivity in areas that currently have limited public transport options.
Lucknow City Transport managing director Vimal Rajan said that the proposed routes include Charbagh-Bakshi Ka Talab, Scooters’ India-Engineering College, Rajajipuram, Ahimamau, Viraj Khand in Gomti Nagar and BBD areas.
The routes have been selected to improve access between residential neighbourhoods and major employment, education and commercial centres. Officials said the expanded fleet will help strengthen public transport coverage across rapidly growing parts of the city.
Following the government’s approval, the procurement process will now move to the tender stage. Officials said the tendering exercise is expected to take around three months. The agency selected for bus operations will also have to create the required infrastructure, including charging and maintenance facilities, before deploying the buses.
Fleet to include three bus categories
The 300 buses allotted to Lucknow will include 100 nine-metre buses, 50 standard 12-metre buses and 150 larger buses. Officials said deployment will be planned according to road width, traffic conditions and passenger demand on different routes.
Authorities said the mix of bus sizes is intended to ensure that public transport services can reach both densely populated urban corridors and areas where road infrastructure may not support larger vehicles.
Vrindavan depot project gains momentum
To support the incoming fleet, a dedicated depot for 300 electric buses is proposed at the P-4 parking site in Vrindavan under the public-private partnership (PPP) model.
Officials in the urban transport directorate said five companies had initially submitted technical bids for the depot project. After scrutiny, one bid was rejected, leaving four firms in contention. The tender process is expected to be completed later this month.
