Civic bodies propose to run city bus service on PPP model

Jamshedpur: The Jamshedpur Notified Area Committee (JNAC), Mango Notified Area Committee and Jugsalai municipality have mooted a proposal to run city bus service under Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) as per the public private partnership PPP model.

The proposal, discussed East Singhbhum additional district magistrate (law and order) Ajit Shankar, has been sent for consideration and final approval to the state urban development department.

As per the proposal, an Expression of Interest would be taken out by JNAC for selection of a private party for running of the city bus services which would be monitored by the urban development department. The buses would be repaired by the urban development before being handed over to the private party.

The bus service has been plagued by myriad problems. In the past 24 months, bus drivers and auxiliary staff have ceased work as many as 21 times over non-payment of dues. The last strike was called in January this year over unpaid dues. At present, 20 city bus ferries 10,000-odd passengers along seven routes daily.

The state urban development principal secretary Nitin Madan Kulkarni had on April 25 at a meeting in Ranchi this year asked the local urban bodies representatives to put forward a proposal taking into account the glitches resulting in the failure in full fledged running of the 50 city buses.

Out of the 50 Swaraj Mazda make buses procured under Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) in 2010 at a cost of nearly Rs 5 crore only 10 odd buses are in running condition at the moment in only three out of the seven notified routes.

� As per our proposals we have also sought permission for use of three lands which can be used as bus stands and workshop for city buses. The land at Sakchi Old Bus Stand and Baridih Bus depot would be used for bus stand while the land at Agrico bus depot would be used as bus workshop,� said an official.

Notably, Jamshedpur was allotted a fleet of 50-odd city buses when the service was launched as part of the JNNURM in August 2010. Out of the 50 city buses allotted only 13 are running on three-four routes while most of these buses remain stranded at the Baridih depot due to lack of maintenance.