Checker deployed to keep watch on bus conductors sacked
   Date :13-Feb-2020
Checker deployed to keep
 
 
Staff Reporter :
 
Travellers must buy ticket first in order to curb corrupt practices, says Narendra Borkar 
 
In a first, a checker deployed to curb irregularities on part of conductors of city bus service was dismissed from service. Narendra Borkar, Chairperson, Transport Committee, Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC), said they got proof about involvement of the checkers in covering up corruption on part of the conductors. This is the first instance of action against the checker but not the last as Borkar said he is suspicious that more number of checkers may be hand in gloves with conductors who are responsible for huge losses to city bus service.
 
He again urged commuters to ensure that they ask for tickets during the travel and should not leave it at discretion of conductor. For firming up ticket sales, Borkar said instructions are issued to DIMTS (IBTM) for deployment of additional conductors at terminal points for spot ticketing. He was interacting with newspersons at NMC Central Office on Wednesday. Maximum travellers of city buses board from Sitabuldi points, Mor Bhawan, Maharajbaugh, Dhiran Kanya Vidyalay and Bhagini Mandal and instructions are now issued to deploy additional conductors so that without issuance of ticket no commuters should board the bus. This would better compliance of revenue as NMC is keen to stem the losses in operations of city bus service. A meeting of Transport Committee was also held at Dr Panjabrao Deshmukh Hall at Central Office of NMC in Civil Lines on Wednesday where steps to overhaul working of conductors and other issues were discussed at length.
 
“It was decided that henceforth drivers and conductors routes would be rotated every fortnight. While drivers would be reshuffled on 15th of every month and conductors on 20th to ensure seamless travel of buses”, he said. Further, DIMTS was directed to ensure that senior officers of the company should be deployed at Nagpur Centre so that decisions can be fast tracked. Borkar said the representatives of company were given time or 15-days to ensure that its city office works in full fledged and has senior officials who can take quick decision. At present every direction from NMC is routed to New Delhi office and decision from that ends takes considerable time that defeats the purpose. 
 
‘City police not taking action against dishonest conductors’ Expressing concern over poor returns on long route buses, Transport Department of NMC said they are aghast as city police is not taking action against conductors responsible for losses due to malpractices. Narendra Borkar said he met with Additional Commissioner Police Nilesh Bharne and discussed the issue at length. Borkar also said that one major worry on routes of Kamptee-Kanhan, Koradi-Khaparkheda, Butibori is threats doled out to conductors and drivers by rowdy elements travelling in city buses. Most of them do not buy tickets and are ready to harm the conductors if they insist on tickets.
 
The buses operating on these routes are running in huge losses. Further, NMC is going to write to Sarpanch of all Gram Panchayats around city from where city buses operate to create awareness among commuters for insisting on tickets before boarding buses from terminal points. City buses are reaching outskirts of city on Kamptee-Kanhan-Gumthala-Chikhli-Temasana-Vihirgaon-Bahadura; Hingna-Mondha; Wadi-Khadgaon-Lava-Dhamna-Alesur-Matkazari-Sawali; Mahurzari-Dahegaon-Fetri-Kalmeshwar-Brahmani-Zunki Sawali; Koradi-Khaparkheda-Suradevi-Babulkheda-Lonkhairi-Bailwada-Sawarmendha-Walni-Sillewada-Bina-Bhanegaon-Dahegaon (Rangari)-Brhamanwada; Khapri-Pewtha-Banwadi-Rui-Mohgaon-Dongargaon-Butibori-Takalghat-Salai Dabha; Khapri-Banwadi-Dongargaon-Takalghat; Pardi-Bidgaon Tarodi-Pawangaon-Bharatwada-Mahalgaon-Kadholi; Wadad-Pimpalgaon-VelaHari-Ghogli-Besa-Narsala. 'We would be seeking help of Sarpanch of these villages in order to plug revenue losses in operations of bus service', said Borkar.
 
City bus operators fined The Transport Department continued with steps to discipline the city bus operators for their failure to honour the commitments as per the contract. While M/s Travel Time was fined Rs 4,45,284, M/s R K Bus Operators-Rs. 1,46,630, M/s Hansa City Bus Operator - Rs 16,05,755 during the month of January. Asked about the same, Narendra Borkar said the operators failed to operator number of buses as stipulated by NMC, for poor maintenance of buses that led to stalling of vehicles midway to destination causing inconvenience to commuters, for not adhering to pollution under control norms. 
 
Public address system, inquiry booth to be installed Transport Department of NMC has decided to install public address system and also set-up an inquiry booth at Mor Bhawan for convenience of commuters. "We have got eight platforms at Mor Bhawan from where city buses operate and for better co-ordination NMC has decided to upgrade its service", Borkar informed during the media interaction. Mor Bhawan is perennially busy since morning on working days and commuters often get confused. To ensure better information the inquiry booth and public address system would come handy. DIMTS was supposed to provide the service but failed in its duty and now given ultimatum, Borkar said.