A month into the launch of premium bus service, commuters express mixed opinions

A month has passed since the Delhi government’s public-private venture — the Premium Aggregator Scheme — took off amid much fanfare. Commuters who availed of the service have had a variety of experiences. Some appreciated the hassle-free and low-cost mode of travel, others found it slower than the packed Delhi Metro trains.

On the morning of a weekday, Yashwi Gupta, a 26-year-old resident of Nehru Place, left an hour early for her workplace in Gurugram to try the new shuttle buses instead of taking the metro. “I had come across this option recently, and since my work meetings started late that day, I decided to give it a try,” said Ms. Gupta. While she preferred having a reserved seat in the air-conditioned bus instead of having to negotiate a packed compartment of the Delhi Metro, Ms. Gupta said she did not continue using the shuttle bus service as it took her two hours to reach the office instead of one and a half hours it takes her via the metro.

The scheme is aimed at making commuting easier for office-goers between the cities of Gurugram, Noida, and Delhi – who otherwise spend much more on taxis and autorickshaws – and to reduce traffic and pollution in the National Capital Region. At present, Uber has partnered with the Delhi government to launch shuttle buses with 12-17 seats on over 50 routes, including Badarpur to Gurugram Road, south Delhi to Udyog Vihar, south Delhi to Greater Noida, and south Delhi to IFFCO Chowk, with the maximum fare being ₹150. The first five rides on a shuttle are free at present. However, the buses are only available on weekdays.

Radhika Ranjan, 36, who usually commutes between south Delhi and Gurugram with her two daughters, felt compelled to try out the new mode of travel. “I usually book a cab when I have to visit my sister’s place in Gurugram. But the rides are quite expensive. Sometimes, I end up paying around ₹1,200 for a two-way commute to Gurugram from Masjid Moth. The premium buses, however, are much cheaper, and I get reserved seats, unlike the metro,” she said.

‘Get a chance to nap’

While getting reserved seats was an attractive prospect for many commuters, the lack of last-mile connectivity put off many others. Ameen R. said the idea of making two bookings — for the bus stand and then for the shuttle — felt tiresome. “The idea of booking twice for a single trip and then doing the same while returning home was arduous and time-consuming, despite the commute being comparatively cheaper and giving the occupants the chance to take a nap,” he added.

Published - October 07, 2024 01:22 am IST