New Palam Vihar residents ask GMDA for bus connectivity

GURUGRAM: The residents of New Palam Vihar, on Friday, wrote to the Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA) demanding that the city bus facility be extended to their neighbourhood so they have connectivity through public transport with the city centre.

Currently, there is no public means of transport which connects the developing sectors with the old city. With no shared autos plying either, owning a private vehicle becomes a must.

After the Bajghera railway overbridge was opened for traffic two weeks ago, the residents living in New Palam Vihar, Sai Kunj, developing sectors and villages have demanded the authority ensure the area’s connectivity with the rest of the city commute has become easier. The Delhi-Rewari railway track separates these areas and main city of Gurugram.

Theresidents’welfareassociations (RWAs) of Sai Kunj and New Palam Vihar have jointly a written letter to the GMDA and the Gurugram Metropolitan City Bus Limited (GMCBL), which was set up under Section 3 of the GMDA Act to manage, operate and maintain a city bus transport system.

“GMDA buses currently cater to Palam Vihar. Now that crossing the railway track at Bajghera ROB has become easier, we want the authority extend the bus service up to New Palam Vihar and Sai Kunj and Bajghera village and for other adjoining sectors. We have appealed to the GMDA’s additional chief executive officer and in charge of GMCBL to do needful in this regard,” said Lokesh Sharma, RWA New Palam Vihar.

Sai Kunj RWA president Rakesh Rana said, “More than 25,000 residents live in New Palam Vihar and Sai Kunj alone. Thousands of people live in villages such as Sarai, Jahajgarh, Bajghera and Chauma and they, too, do not have any connectivity with the city centre. We want to the draw attention of the authority in this regard by writing to them.”

Recently, on the occasion of the 71st Republic Day, the GMCBL launched five new routes and added 25 new buses to its fleet. With the inauguration of these routes, the Gurugaman bus service now operates a total of 18 routes with a fleet of 150 buses.

“I will look into the matter and see what best possible can be done in this regard,” GMDA chief executive officer VS Kundu said.

With the opening of the Bajghera ROB, it is expected that homebuyers in Sectors 108, 109, 110 and 111, along the Dwarka expressway, will start shifting into their new homes, and for them also the GMDA bus service extension will offer respite.

Gaurav Prakash, Sector 109, said, “I had written a letter to the GMDA in this regard a week ago. Many other residents of my sector also have sent letters separately to the authority. We are now planning to meet the GMDA CEO any day this week.”