NMC Transport Deptt submits budget of Rs 273.47 cr to Transport Committee

Rajesh Mohite, Transport Manager of NMC, presenting a copy of the Transport Department budget for the year 2020-21 to Narendra alias Balya Borkar, Chairman of Transport Committee. Other members of the committee also are seen.

Staff Reporter :

Transport Department of Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC), on Thursday, submitted its proposed budget for the year 2020-21 to Transport Committee. In the budget, the department has expected increase in revenue income by Rs 52.752 crore, but has not explained ‘how’ part of it. Now, Transport Committee will make the changes, if required, and then the budget will be finalised. Rajesh Mohite, Transport Manager, submitted the revised estimates for the closing financial year 2019-20 and the proposed budget for the year 2020-21, to Narendra alias Balya Borkar, Chairman of Transport Committee, in a special meeting of the committee.

As per the revised estimates for 2019-20, Transport Department expects the revenue of Rs 206.19 crore. The expenditure in the closing financial year is expected to be Rs 206.07 crore. Thus, the initial balance for the next financial year 2020-21 will be Rs 26.97 lakh. The department expects the revenue to be Rs 273.47 crore, and expenditure is estimated to be Rs 273.11 crore. The opening balance for the next year 2021-22 is, thus, expected to be Rs 36.42 crore. For the proper operations of city bus service, a separate head of ‘City Transport Fund’ has been created. Similarly, for utilisation of balance amount, an independent head ‘Revenue Reserve Fund’ has been created. Besides, ‘Transport Reforms Fund’ has been created.

How these heads will be put to use remains unexplained at this juncture. In the budget for the year 2020-21, Transport Department has proposed several initiatives and has taken stock of the progress of previous initiatives. Of a total 355 bus-stops, 236 have been created including 158 of old design and 78 of new design. Maha Metro had requested NMC to shift five of its bus-stops as those were creating hurdles in the works of metro rail project. Accordingly, Maha Metro has deposited an amount of Rs 7.25 lakh with NMC. Of 237 buses of NMC to be converted into CNG-powered ones, conversion of 50 buses has been done so far. Under the Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Hybrid and Electric Vehicle (FAME-II) scheme, Central Government has given nod to fund 100 electric buses for Nagpur.

Accordingly, Central Government will give an aid of Rs 1.35 crore including Rs 55 lakh for standard bus, Rs 45 lakh for midi-bus, and Rs 35 lakh for mini-bus. Considering the daily losses incurred on running city bus service, Transport Committee has already given approval to the proposal of the Municipal Commissioner to procure 40 midi-buses. For the purpose, tenders have been invited. A proposal for construction of an well-equipped depot for these 40 midi-buses on 10.80 acres of land in Wathoda, is under consideration of Transport Committee. Further, it is proposed to create e-toilets from old scrapped buses. Already, Mayor has given his nod for making available two buses for the purpose on pilot basis. These e-toilets will be kept near main bus-stops in the city.

There will be separate e-toilets for men and women commuters. NMC has created a ‘Chalo App’ mobile phone application for the convenience of commuters of city bus service to provide them information regarding time taken for travel between two bus-stops, fares, bus timings etc. Nitin Sathawane, Rajesh Ghodpage, Nagesh Mankar, Manisha Dhawade, Vaishali Roohankar, Vishakha Bante, Archana Pathak, all of them members of Transport Committee; Ravindra Pagey, Administrative Officer; Arun Pimprude, Labour Officer; Vinay Bhardwaj, Sukir Sontakke, Transport Officer; Kedar Mishra, Yogesh Lunge, Mechanical Engineer and others also were present on the occasion when Mohite presented copy of the budget to Borkar.