Withdrawal of bus service en route to Sectors 82, 83, 92, 93 and Panchsheel Inter College, launched a year ago, is causing enormous hardship to commuters. Besides, the UP Roadways’ move poured cold water on Noida District Administration’s efforts to reduce the number of private vehicles on the city roads to decongest traffic and curb pollution.
Chirag Agarwal, who travels between Sector 76 and Sector 104 daily, said with no public transport available people are forced to fall back on private vehicles. Hordes of private cars and bikes on roads has created a chock-a-block situation while air pollution went up dramatically.
He said commuters prefer bus service as it saves their money. But the Roadways cited lack of public enthusiasm for its withdrawal. "Buses running from City Centre to Panchsheel Inter College recorded only 20% ridership," said Parvez Bashir, Assistant Regional Manager (Noida), UP Roadways.
Blaming the Roadways for thin ridership, Pradeep Saxena, General Secretary of Express View Apartment, lamented that the authorities launched the service without giving it enough publicity. In a letter to Assistant Regional Manager of UP Roadways, he urged resumption of the service.
Bashir assured that he will take a final call on the service when Noida Authority provides enough buses to ply on the route.
