NOIDA: The city bus service in Noida is set to be extended on five proposed routes from June 15 under a partnership between Noida authority and the Uttar Pradesh State Transport Corporation (UPSRTC), officials said on Wednesday.These proposed routes include from Noida’s Sector-90 (Depot) Botanical Garden to Kisan Chowk and Ek Murti in Greater Noida; Noida International Airport in Jewar; Sector-62, and Phase-2 Noida; and Surajpur Collectorate in Greater Noida. (HT Archive)These routes include from Noida’s Sector-90 (Depot) Botanical Garden to Kisan Chowk and Ek Murti in Greater Noida; Noida International Airport in Jewar; Sector-62, and Phase-2 Noida; and Surajpur Collectorate in Greater Noida.These e-buses will also run up to Sarai Kale Khan, Anand Vihar, Kashmere Gate ISBTs, and Ghaziabad, said officials.Officials from both bodies met on Tuesday and chalked out a detailed plan, including tariffs and routes, officials said.The current fleet will comprise 100 electric buses, of which 10 will be double-decker, with tariffs of ₹10, ₹20 and ₹30 based on the distance travelled, officials said. A trial run of the buses will commence a week before the launch.The launch of the bus service coincides with the commencement of operations at Noida International Airport, scheduled to start on June 15.“The operation of the buses will be carried out by UPSRTC, while the viability gap funding will be borne by Noida Authority,” Krishna Karunesh, Noida Authority CEO, told mediapersons.Earlier, the authority had planned to deploy 50 buses, but later decided to increase it to 100, he said.UPSRTC is in the process of hiring 300 staffers, including drivers and conductors, for the service.A Noida authority official said passengers will be able to purchase tickets through a mobile app as well as manually, and added that e-rickshaws will be banned on routes where e-buses will operate. Each bus will cover around 200 km per day.Presently, the city has around 4,548 buses, largely serving private company employees, leaving residents dependent on cabs, autorickshaws, and e-rickshaws for daily commuting and last-mile connectivity.The Noida authority is also developing a depot in Sector 90 where the e-buses can be parked and charged.The roadways have also collaborated with a private firm, Switch Mobility, to introduce eight double-decker air-conditioned buses in Noida. Under this arrangement, operations will be managed by UPSRTC, while maintenance will be handled by Switch Mobility. These buses are stationed at the Morna depot in Sector 35.Rohitash Kumar, assistant regional manager, UPSRTC, said, “A charging station for this facility is ready at the Morna depot. We are in the final phase of arrangements,” he said.