NMC readies for city bus service, occupancy to be capped at 50%

A fleet of city buses ready to ply on the roads at parking yard near Yeshwant Stadium. (File photo)

Staff Reporter :

After six months of disruption, Aapli Bus could resume its service in city. Transport Committee of Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) at its meeting held on Tuesday accepted the proposal for plying of city buses. Narendra alias Balya Borkar chaired the meet held at Standing Committee hall at NMC's Central Office, Civil Lines, said that for start the buses should ply with 50 per cent occupancy only. After observing initial services and based on feedback from citizens and response full occupancy in buses can be permitted. Since lockdown was imposed throughout the country, the city bus service remained under suspension owing to surge in pandemic.

At present the virus is playing havoc in city and it remains to be seen if civic administration accepts contention of Transport Committee and bring back buses on city roads. Members of Transport Committee who joined the meeting through video conferencing felt that since State Government is now plying inter-district buses with 100 per cent capacity, in city too its high time local bus service is allowed to ply. There should be parity in decision as to running of buses, be it inter-district and inter-state and local bus, the members felt. Also they pointed out now country is in unlock mode wherein every other sector is being opened in calibrated manner. In city also all the establishments are now functioning with full capacity, markets are seeing good footfalls and now its high time transport facility is made available.

Though schools and colleges and tuition classes are still are functioning in on-line mode, for workers the city bus service could prove useful. Since buses are not plying citizens are dependent on self transport that means they are forking out big bucks owing to high fuel cost. Also only limited number of autorickshaws are plying in city and they are chairing hefty sum for transporting people from one point to another. The city bus service if started can provide respite to citizens form high charges that they are now paying for daily journey. Borkar was of view that a balance would have to be struck as to starting bus services but also ensuring that it should not lead to spike in corona positive cases in city.

The situation in city at present in fluid and hence initially the buses occupancy be capped at 50 per cent. He said the matter was discussed with Municipal Commissioner Radhakrishnan B before the Transport Committee accepted the proposal for starting city bus service. Shakeel Niyaji, Transport Manager; Ravindra Pagey, Administrative Officer; Arun Pimpurde, Vinay Bharadwaj, were present while members Nitin Sathawne, Rupa Roy, Vaishali Rohankar, Roopali Thakur and Rajesh Ghodpagey joined through video conferencing.