Urban Glide: Cityflo’s New JV Set to Transform India’s Electric Bus Ecosystem

Cityflo has launched Urban Glide, a new joint venture (JV) with Globus Trans Solutions LLP to operate in the state government-run bus transit ecosystem.

Mumbai-based urban mobility platform Cityflo has announced a major move into India’s state-run electric bus ecosystem with the launch of its new JV Urban Glide.

The company is a joint venture between Komorebi Tech Solutions, the parent company of Cityflo, and Globus Trans Solutions LLP, led by public transport stalwarts Victor Nagaonkar, who has decades of experience at BEST, and Sunil Solanki, known for his operational expertise across PMPML and other transit companies.

This strategic partnership marks Cityflo’s entry into the electric bus market under the government’s Gross Cost Contract (GCC model) framework. Urban Glide aims to bring a professional, data-led approach to state-run transit systems.

Operations will begin with 500 electric buses in its first year, with an initial rollout of 150 buses across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR). The company plans to expand rapidly as more GCC contracts are awarded across India.

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India is undertaking what could be the world’s largest public electric bus transition, with over 200,000 state-owned buses being integrated under the GCC model, a public-private partnership that allows the state to retain control over routes and fares, while private players manage fleet and operations.

Urban Glide is tailored for this scale, offering lifecycle asset control, professionalized driver management, embedded safety protocols, and data-driven route optimization.

“This is one of urban India’s most significant infrastructure transitions,” said Jerin Venad, CEO of Cityflo. “We see Urban Glide as a generational opportunity to deliver zero-emission, clean, and reliable bus services to over 200 million daily commuters.”

Urban Glide is designed to bring world-class reliability and efficiency to Indian transit, a sector long plagued by underfunding, ageing fleets, and inconsistent service. The GCC model aims to fix this by having private players handle fleet operations while the government maintains control over fares and routes.

Inspired by global successes in cities like Singapore and London, the GCC framework includes government subsidies for electric vehicles and a Payment Security Mechanism to safeguard private investments.

Urban Glide’s operations are built on principles of lifecycle asset control, professional fleet and driver management, data-driven route optimization, and embedded safety protocols.

Its first 150 buses will hit the roads in MMR, with a nationwide scale-up planned as more GCC contracts are awarded.