Putting a new system for city buses is still a work which is in progress for Ranchi Municipal Corporation (RMC), which has missed deadlines quite consistently with minimum clarity over the schedules to run the buses under a new setup and a new operator. Interestingly, the RMC and the owner have different dates for rolling out the service as part of agreement between the two entities.
The RMC and the new operator are speaking in different voices about beginning the operations. Even as the RMC says that the new system will become effective from May 1 the new operator, M/s Kishore Mantri Travels, expressed its readiness for May 2. The previous arrangement was supposed to be replaced by April 1 however infrastructure hurdles delayed the transition process.
“We are repairing buses and will handover buses to the new operator before May 1, which is the date to begin operation,” said Public Relations Officer of RMC, Naresh Kumar Sinha. As per the terms of agreement between the RMC and M/s Kishore Mantri, transfer of buses will take place in two phases — 40 buses in phase-1 and additional 29 buses later phase. The company will provide Rs10-lakh towards security deposit. The municipal body vowed that it will closely watch the operation and services provided by the selected bidder. Sponsored under Centre’s Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission, around 69 buses form the backbone of public transport system in Ranchi. The firm will pay Rs138.50 per bus every day to RMC as quoted by it in the bid document.
Notwithstanding different voices about city buses the new operator confided that preparations are in final stages and they are awaiting transfer of buses to continue the passenger transit system under their command. The travel company also expressed that outstanding issues related to manpower have been addressed and concerns of staffs who worked for the previous agency have been resolved. Notably, besides organisational hurdles the new system also faced resistance from employees of previous agency.
“We have told them our terms and conditions. More than half of the employees working for previous agency are on-board and we are waiting for the response of the remaining handful. We are ready to begin operations with 30 buses from May 2,” said owner of the firm, Kishore Mantri. The travel company divulged the road map for running the buses which includes seeking services of police personnel in the buses especially from evening up to 9pm, the time when bus services will cease to operate, and adding more buses on routes on which more people travel through public transport system. The buses as usual will hit the city streets from 5 am.
Meanwhile, low-floor AC buses for the capital are still on papers and no progress has been recorded in the direction of expediting procurement of the luxury buses. Although the municipal body had announced luxurious passenger transit system in August, 2013; controversy delayed the plan which was announced under JNNURM. “Nothing has happened on the fate of low-floor buses,” maintained the PRO of RMC. The municipal body had announced purchasing 30 low floor buses comprising 10 AC and 20 non-AC buses with specific features especially for disabled.
