In a bid to improve one of the worst and unorganized city public transport systems, the Ranchi Municipal Corporation (RMC) inducted 26 city buses on three routes on Thursday. Flagging off the buses from RMC to their respective defined routes, Transport Minister CP Singh said that the government was serious over providing better services to citizens.
These buses launched on Thursday are going to bring much relief to large chunk of commuters who have no other alternative but to stay dependent on public transportation system and don’t happen to be in a position to afford private commercial vehicles. As defined, the buses will run on three routes which include Nagri to Apollo Hospital via Bariatu, ITI Bus Stand to Dhurwa Golchakkar via Harmu, and ITI Bus Stand to Ranchi Railway Station.
With the launch of these 26 brand new city buses purchased from Tata Motors at a cost of Rs 12.8 lakh each, the RMC will have a fleet of 77 buses run by two bus operators, Kishore Mantri and Suresh Singh, on four different routes in city from Friday. Municipal Commissioner Prashant Kumar said that 14 other buses which were part of fleet of 65 buses returned to RMC by then operator Jharkhand Tourism Development Corporation (JTDC) in February-March 2015 were also ready to be re-launched on roads.
“With induction of those 14 buses shortly, the total number of city buses on these four routes will reach up to 91,” said Kumar who has been transferred to Department of Finance as Special Secretary on Tuesday. RMC Mayor Asha lakra, Deputy Mayor Sanjeev Vijayvargeeya, ward councilors and other officials of RMC were also present in flagging off ceremony of new buses.
“launching new facilities from RMC on regular intervals for capital dwellers is a testimony that the government is serious for providing better commuting facilities to citizens. We have been working to provide better public transportation system in city. Urban Development Department is committed for translating all these plans of government into reality,” said CP Singh who also holds Urban Development Department portfolio with him while flagging off these buses on their respective routes.
Notably, RMC has been struggling to get citizens out of miserable public transport mess, which has so far remained a nightmare for daily commuters. With Suresh Singh refusing to operate any old bus which used to be a part of JTDC fleet, the RMC is finding it difficult to take ready to be inducted 14 buses on roads.