SLF bus services likely to defunct
Source: Hueiyen News Service

Imphal, January 13 2015: Altogether 14 semi low floor buses worth crores of rupee provided to the State by the Central Government under Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JnNURM) for transportation in the city are on the verge of extinction like those buses run by Manipur State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) .

Though service of semi-low floor buses has been proved quite effective in major cities of the country, there have been complaints that service of semi-low floor buses would not prove purposeful here in the State due to certain factors.

The 14 SLF buses were purchased by the State Government after threadbare discussion on its effectiveness.

However, there have been instances of breakdown of engine ever since its procurement.

Since there is a need for heavy maintenance of the buses, the number of buses out of the total which is usable at present has been reduced to few.

Sources informed that out of the total 14 SLF buses stationed at the campus of MSRTC, only eight are engaged for transportation service in the city at present.

The remaining others have been rendered useless due to heavy loss of money incurred in the service in the city.

A total of eight SLF buses were used for transportation of tourists during the last Sangai Festival.

Interestingly, these buses have not been put to use after the end of Sangai festival.

It has been reported that these buses were gathering dust where they have been stationed.

Sources disclosed that two buses out of the total number of 14 handed over to the Transport Department have not been put to use and no mechanic has been hired so far to repair them and those buses which have been grounded.

The government had floated a tender for providing service of the SLF buses through Public-Private Partnership (PPP).

However, not a single individual had come up with expression of interest for the same.

There was a provision for depositing 20 percent of the amount given in the tender.

Despite reducing the deposit amount to 5 percent, no one approached the department for launching the service in PPP mode.

Following the absence of any individual interested in running the service, Manipur Police in association with some departments had operated service of the SLF buses in four routes of the city to prove that the service has the potential to fetch enough profit.

However, the trial service failed to provide even salaries of driver and handyman engaged in the service of the buses.

As the trial service incurred heavy losses, it was called off finally.

According to reports from the Transport Department, a sum of Rs 4000 was the highest amount got in a day during the period of the service of the SLF buses in a route.

In earning a sum of Rs 4000 by a SLF bus in a route, an amount of Rs 3000 has to be spent for fuel.

Moreover, around Rs 1000 is also needed as expenditure for driver, handyman and others engaged in the bus service.

The service of the buses was compelled to halt after realizing the trial service would not make profit.

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