BENGALURU: Following the launch of the Metro Yellow Line on August 11, the Electronics City Industrial Township Authority (ELCITA) introduced free feeder buses that have cut down the carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by 35-40 tonnes a month, which is equal to the amount absorbed by 850 to 1,000 trees in a year while also solving the first- and last-mile connectivity.
According to an ELCITA spokesperson, every day, around 2,500 passengers use these shuttle buses within Electronics City to travel between Metro stations and company campuses. ELCITA operates six shuttle buses, which make 19-20 trips across five routes in the area.
“We introduced this service to cut down the use of private vehicles and reduce the carbon footprint as much as possible, while also giving employees a sustainable option for first- and last-mile travel. ELCITA urges all companies in Electronics City to encourage their employees to make use of this service.
We have also requested industries to stop sending private vehicles for Metro pick-up and drop, since our feeder service already covers all major points in the area,” the spokesperson told TNIE.
“We intend to increase the number of shuttle buses based on the demand as well as when the number of trains on the Yellow Line increases.”
The service runs Monday to Friday, except on public holidays. The feeder service is also helping the environment. By reducing private vehicles on the road, the shuttles save 35-40 tonnes of CO2 every month. This is equal to the amount absorbed by 850 to 1,000 trees in a year, ELCITA added.
A similar and initial service before the Yellow Line was commissioned, the Green Line feeder, running from Silk Institute to Electronics City, from March 2022 to August 2025, deployed four shuttle buses making eight trips a day via NICE Road.
Over its 41-month period, it recorded 1,98,235 passengers, covered 2,97,290 km, and saved 416 tonnes of CO2, equivalent to the carbon absorption capacity of 2,900-4,000 trees. The service also maintained a zero-accident, zero-injury safety record throughout its operations.