GMCBL discontinues buses from Ambience mall to bus stand; new route to launch on June 6

The Gurugram Metropolitan City Bus Limited (GMCBL) will launch its seventh route — from Iffco Chowk to the Integrated Metropolitan Township (IMT) in Manesar — on Thursday. However, in a first, it has discontinued an existing route, from Ambience Mall to bus stand in Sector 10, due to lack of ridership and falling revenue.

Officially numbered Route 132, the now discontinued route was intended to create connectivity along Cyber hub, DLF 1, DLF 2, Iffco Chowk, Signature Tower, Star Mall, Sector 31, Rajeev Chowk, Vikas Sadan, police commissioner’s office, Kamla Nehru Park and Civil Hospital.

A GMCBL official, requesting anonymity, said, “Route 132 is no longer plying until further notice. It has been our worst performing route. Launched weeks ago in April, the buses were going empty and bleeding the company. We will have to consider an alternative alignment or route in the area, which we are working on.” The official did not provide specific reasons for the route’s failure, but conceded that a better traffic surveys could have helped prevent the roll-back.

The GMCBL will be diverting the 25 buses allotted to Route 132 to its new route to Manesar, officially numbered Route 134. Mohammed Akil, commissioner of police (Gurugram), will inaugurate the route from IMT Manesar at 11am on Thursday.

The route, the length of which is around 25km, will start at Iffco Chowk and move on to Signature Tower, Star Mall, Sector 31 (NH-48), Rajiv Chowk, Rajiv Colony, Naharpur Rupa village (NH-48), Hero Honda Chowk, Khandsa village, Narsinghpur village, Kherki Daula toll plaza, Rampura Chowk, IMT Chowk, HSIIDC Complex, Banskushala, Maruti Circle, Aliyar Bas Chowk, Maruti Gate No. 2, Maruti Gate No. 4, and Dhana Mod. On this route, the first bus from Iffco Chowk will leave at 6am, while the final bus will depart from IMT Manesar at 7.25pm.

“We have been planning this route for a long time, and are confident about its success,” said Arun Sharma, general manager, GMCBL. “This is a very common route, mainly for people who travel from Gurugram and Delhi to Manesar for work every day. Currently, such commuters have to rely on sharing autos, which are uncomfortable and crammed, or smaller tempos. A proper mass transit option has been lacking to Manesar, which is a very important region of economic growth in the district,” he added.