Now, Green Buses

In order to provide an eco-friendly, comfortable and clean mode of public transport to the residents of Mumbai, and to reduce traffic congestion on roads, a Green Bus Express Service initiative has been undertaken to link North and South Mumbai by MP Sanjay Nirupam under his Go Green campaign. It is meant to promote the use of public transport which will help in reducing traffic congestion, and thereby, pollution on Mumbai roads. Nirupam told TrafficInfraTech, “We proposed the introduction of direct luxury bus services between North and South Mumbai with an eye on reducing carbon emissions in the wake of India’s commitment at the Copenhagen Summit on global warming.” The buses have been taken from the about 1000 low stand buses given by the Government of India to BEST (Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport) under JnNURM (Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission).

The 55-seater CNG operated buses ply from the North Mumbai suburb of Borivali to Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC) and Colaba. They facilitate the travel of a sizeable population of businessmen, share brokers, diamond merchants and executives of multinational companies who used to commute daily by private cars which often led to heavy traffic congestion and release of toxic carbons in the air. Right now, six buses are in operation. By the year end, a study on commercial viability of these buses will be undertaken to decide if more buses must be put in service.

The plan is that these luxury buses must operate and return every five minutes during the peak hours to and from Nariman Point, Hutatma Chowk and Bandra Kurla Complex. It is also planned that these buses must be allotted priority lanes as they will lead to reduction in traffic and thereby, fuel emission.

Says Nirupam, “In the long run, these buses will be patronised by 500 passengers per hour, per route. That will reduce about 300 cars per hour. By providing such a comfortable, convenient and eco-friendly public transport system to the city, we are paving way for a soft revolution in our transport system. I want to provide coffee vending machines, newspapers and also wi-fi connectivity.”