JnNURM Buses Derailed: Transport Dept to face trouble in repairing semi-flow floor buses
Source: Hueiyen News Service

Imphal, August 03 2012: Even though the service of semi low floor buses in other parts of the country including some North Eastern states has been successful, the same has proved to be a complete failure in the state.

The semi low floor buses which are plying on the roads of Imphal city on a trial basis for the last one and a half months by the Transport Department with an eye to submit the Utilisation Certificate after the buses were lying idle for more than two years, has proved to be a disaster in the state.

The buses have been sanctioned under Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JnNURM) and the service was flagged off by the Transport Minister with great fanfare from the complex of MSRTC, Moirangkhom on June 14 .

Official sources revealed that since the initiation of semi low floor bus service in Imphal city, not a single penny has been credited to the Transport Department from the income earned.

emi-low floor bus for ferrying passengers within the market areas in Imphal on February 23 2012 Pix :: David M Mayum

Sources further revealed that at present the service of semi low floor is being carried out along three different routes of Imphal.

The routes are from Lilong to Koirengei, from Malom to Khabeisoi and from Imphal West DC office, Lamphelpat to Imphal East DC office, Porompat.

For the operation of the semi low floor buses, one driver and two conductors are appointed for each bus by the Transport Department.

The three persons are paid a daily wage of Rs 580.Apart from the wages, the bus driver and the two conductors are paid Rs 70 each for their daily meals.

Each of the bus requires around 70 litres of diesel per day.

The whole amount of money spent on drivers, conductors and diesel put together would come to around Rs 3,670.Thus, on an average, the Transport Department has been spending around Rs 3,670 daily, sources said.

Sources also revealed that after deducting all the charges incurred, a mere Rs 300 is left as profit in a day.

If the Transport Department cannot earn at least Rs 1000 daily after spending a huge amount in terms of lakhs, the low floor bus service in the State cannot be called successful at all.

Under such awful conditions, it would be so hard for the Transport Department to arrange money in case of breaking down of the buses since there is no specific budget allocation in the Department for maintenance of the buses, sources added.

It is said that apart from low floor buses plying from Lilong to Koirengei, the earning from the services along routes from Malom to Khabeisoi and from Imphal West DC office, Lamphelpat to Imphal East DC office, Porompat, is far below expectation.

It has also been reported that with only a few low floor buses plying along the three routes at an interval of one hour each, the passengers could hardly wait for the buses and make themselves comfortable in the many passenger Autorikshaws which are ubiquitous on the roads of Imphal.

The semi low floor buses have been put in service on a trial basis by the Transport department to attract private firms to take over.

However, considering the amount of profit gained per day, it is likely that no private firm would be willing to come forward and take the challenge, informed one driver.

It may be noted here that there have also been no taker to the repeated tender calls for privatizing the service of semi-low floor buses in Manipur.