GMCBL bus operator wants to stop services in F’bad, cites lack of infra

Gurugram: Faridabad does not have any bus depots that can repair buses of the Gurugram Metropolitan City Bus Limited which operate there even after three years of the bus service, officials aware of the matter said adding that the severe lack of maintenance has started posing safety hazards for the fleet. GMCBL chief executive officer, Munish Sharma said, that 25 buses will now start plying from Gurugram every day after necessary maintenance is carried out overnight. “GMCBL imposed a hefty penalty of about ₹11.5 crore on us between August 2021 and June 2024 for delays, non-operation on certain routes, breakdowns and uncleanliness which is solely because we are unable to maintain, repair or wash them in the absence of infrastructure that the government had promised to provide,” he said adding that GMCBL officials had assured to take up the penalty issue in the next board meeting of the Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority. The remaining 50 buses were deployed for operation from the Ballabgarh depot, Faridabad from August 2021 with the promise of developing necessary infrastructure for them which has not come up even after directions from former Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar to officials to execute plans on the ground by April 30 last year.