New routes? Noida Authority looks to DTC for last-mile link

Noida: Noida Authority may soon sign an agreement with the Delhi govt to expand the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) bus services in the city. At present, DTC buses operate up to Sector 62 via DND, with a depot in Sector 16. The plan is to extend routes to outer sectors, Greater Noida and Greater Noida West, to strengthen public transport options.Officials said the proposal received in-principle approval at the state level and will soon be placed before the Authority's board for clearance. Once approved, discussions will be taken forward to finalise operational modalities, including routes and frequency.The authority's proposal sought to leverage DTC's existing fleet to connect high-density residential and commercial areas, especially in outer sectors where wider roads can accommodate larger buses without worsening congestion.Key routes such as Pari Chowk in Greater Noida and parts of Greater Noida West are being considered for inclusion in the extended network. The Authority is planning to deploy standard DTC buses on arterial and outer routes, while introducing smaller feeder buses for last-mile connectivity within the inner sectors.The feeder service was proposed under the state's e-bus scheme. Earlier, 500 electric buses were earmarked for the region, including 300 for Noida. However, the tender process is being reworked following the previous bidding cycle's expiration. Efforts are underway to have the Uttar Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (UPSRTC) operate these buses instead of the Authority directly managing services.In the first phase, around 100 feeder buses are expected to be deployed in Noida to connect the city's residential sectors to major DTC corridors.Officials said the integrated approach, combining extended DTC routes with feeder services, was intended to reduce reliance on private vehicles, ease traffic pressure, and provide structured city bus transport in line with the city's rapid expansion. If cleared by the board, the initiative could mark the first major step towards a coordinated inter-city bus network linking Delhi, Noida, and Greater Noida through a unified operational framework.Notably, the concessionaire of the upcoming Noida International Airport already signed an MoU with DTC to provide direct bus connectivity between Delhi and the airport. Under the arrangement, DTC is expected to operate dedicated services from key transit hubs in the national capital to Jewar.