The Indian Express      20.11.2013

Short-staffed MC hires Pune firm to run city bus service

Incurring losses and short-staffed, the Ludhiana Municipal Corporation has hired a Pune-based firm to run the city bus service.

Prasanna Purple Mobility Solutions Private Limited is all set to start work in about a week. It will provide staff, diesel, and maintenance of 75 buses and charge the LMC at the rate of Rs 30 per kilometre for its services. The firm has been hired for 10 years.

LMC sources said that the decision had been taken because the buses were running in loss and the MC failed to maintain them properly due to a staff crunch.

Originally, the LMC had a fleet of 50 non-AC buses. Last Friday, 25 new buses were added when Deputy CM Sukhbir Singh Badal flagged them off at PAU.

The new vehicles comprise five AC buses, 10 mini-buses and 10 standard non-AC buses.

The AC buses have been bought from TATA at Rs 62 lakh each, mini-buses from SML Isuzu at Rs 16 lakh each, and the other non-AC buses at Rs 48 lakh each.

The city was to get as many as 200 buses under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission, but has got only 75. The Centre bears 50 per cent of the cost, the state government 20 per cent and the local civic body 30 per cent.

Baljit Singh, manager of city bus service, said, "The mini-buses have been brought for congested areas where normal buses cannot go. These will be run in areas like Shimlapuri, Haibowal, Sherpur chowk, DMCH area and industrial area."

Each mini-bus can accommodate 29 passengers while the capacity of other buses is 36.

Asked why the buses have been given on contract, he said, "We were facing extreme staff shortage. With the hiring of this firm, the buses will be properly cleaned and maintained."

"We have an operating cost of Rs 34-35 per km, now it will be Rs 30 per km. In future, the depreciation will be more, so we will save a lot of money by bringing in the private firm," he said.

The fare in AC buses will be double of that in non-AC buses. It will be Rs 10 upto 5 km, Rs 15 for 5 to 10 km and Rs 20 for more than 10 km. The buses will be useful in winters too, as these have temperature control systems.

The proposed routes for AC buses are Clock Tower railway station, Chandigarh route upto Lohara, Ayali Chowk route and Delhi road upto Sahnewal. However, these are still tentative.

In the 25 new buses, a system has been installed which will ensure that the buses will move only after the doors are closed. Another 125 buses coming in future will also have this system.

"People keep boarding or getting off the moving bus. Now the bus will stop on the spot if the doors are not closed," said Singh. He added that the remaining 125 buses were expected to be here by February 2014.

The Times of India          18.11.2013 

Bus transport utility sends PMC must-have list on new BRT route

PUNE: After the recent trial run of the Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS) project on the Vishrantwadi-Wagholi route, the Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Limited (PMPML) has raised various issues about the project with the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC).

The bus transport utility has sought the installation of automatic doors in bus stations and passenger terminals at both ends.

During the trial run, it was found that buses may suffer damages on the outside because of the extension of platforms at all bus stations. The PMPML has suggested measures to tackle the issue.

The municipal corporation is planning to commission the BRTS project on the 16-km Vishrantwadi-Wagholi stretch covering both Ahmednagar and Alandi roads. It has claimed that most infrastructure work such as construction of bus stations and other facilities for commuters have been completed.

Last month, the civic body conducted its first trial run on the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) corridor primarily to check the alignment of buses with the bus stations. The PMC would be conducting more trials to check other facilities including the commuting time of buses on the corridor as against the mixed traffic lanes. Through the trial run, the PMC has indicated that it wants to make the BRTS operational as early as possible.

The PMPML officials said the bus stations need automatic doors that open after the bus is aligned with the platform. At present, many bus stations do not have the facility. The PMPML officials associated with the project said automatic doors would prevent passengers from entering or accidentally falling into the bus lanes.

The PMPML administration has suggested that rubber rollers, like those in Ahmedabad's Janmarg BRT, be fixed on bus stations to prevent scratch marks and damage to buses due to the extended platforms.

Other works such as setting up ramps and fixing of tiles, and railings should be completed at all bus stations and passenger terminals and stations at both ends in Vishrantwadi and Wagholi, be constructed, said PMPML officials.

Various citizens' groups and industrial associations have insisted that unless all the works, including road safety facilities for pedestrians and passengers are completed, the municipal corporation should not start bus services on the route. Civic officials have assured them that the works will be completed.

Inadequacy of buses

Starting bus services on the Vishrantwadi-Wagholi BRT route may have an adverse impact on the city bus services. The PMPML has a fleet of about 1,500 buses, of which 1,200 to 1,300 buses ply on various routes in Pune, Pimpri Chinchwad and the fringe areas every day.

The BRT service on the Vishrantwadi-Wagholi route would need a fixed number of buses and only those with doors opening on either side. The PMPML has a limited number of such buses, officials said. Another BRT project is nearing completion in Pimpri Chinchwad on the Nigdi and Dapodi stretch. If both projects are made operational simultaneously, the PMPML will face a shortage of buses for its city operations, the officials added.