The Pioneer 18.12.2013
Chandigarh to get 400 more buses
The Union Ministry of Urban Development has sanctioned 400
buses for the Union Territory of Chandigarh under JNNURM. The approval
was given at a meeting of the Central Sanctioning and Monitoring
Committee on bus funding and ancillary infrastructure projects under
JNNURM in New Delhi.
A total of 400 buses have been approved for the Tricity—Chandigarh,
Mohali and Panchkula. A senior official of the UT Administration said
that to facilitate the commuters across the region, a total of 400 buses
would ply in the Tricity.
An official said that a plan to start bus service on the proposed metro
route (under tricity metro project) has been drawn considering the
future needs for intercity bus services and increasing number of
commuters’. The bus service on two proposed metro routes has already
been planned to ensure well bus connectivity with proposed metro
stations in the tricity.
“Also, the UT Administration would focus to connect the far-flung areas
in the neighboring States by bus service to the proposed metro stations
within the city and in the suburbs and also to ensure well bus
connectivity in the tricity. Once the bus service starts, we have also
planned to check the occupancy rate in the buses on new routes and would
accordingly plan for the future needs of the commuters,” added the
official.
The approval was also given for installation of ITS (Intelligent
Transport System) and a depot in the city. The in-principle approval has
been given subject to fulfilling of certain conditions like the
formation of a SPV (special purpose vehicle) as insisted upon in case of
all other similar approvals, a written undertaking by the UT
Administration that it will bear the operational losses if any and
revision of fares which was last carried out in the year 2010.
During the meeting, Dr Sudhir Krishna, Secretary, Union Ministry of
Urban Development also assured that the Ministry will finance the scheme
of public biking which Chandigarh plans to implement, to promote clean
transport in the country.
Dr Sudhir Krishna also advised the Administration to adhere to the new
norms laid down for funding of buses in the current year like formation
of SPV, installation of ITS, constructing depots, underwriting losses by
State Government among others. This, he added will help the city to
build a sustainable and efficient transport system which will bring
maximum benefit to the people.