The Times of India 25.08.2009
PCMC okays Rs 16-cr proposal for buying buses
The general body (GB) of the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) approved the civic administration's proposal of giving Rs 16.25 crore to the Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Limited (PMPML) for purchasing buses, despite stiff opposition from corporators, who said that the PMPML was treating former PCMT workers in a stepbrotherly fashion. They added that the bus service was not up to the mark in the twin-townships.
PCMC chief accounts officer Neelkanth Londhe informed the house that the central government has approved the PMPML's proposal to purchase 650 buses. "The central and state governments have given their share to the PCMC, which amounts to Rs 16.25 crore. The PMPML is demanding that this money should be given to them," he said.
Opposing the proposal to buy the buses on a public-private partnership (PPP) basis, independent corporator Maruti Bhapkar said that this move will finally lead to privatisation of the PMPML.
He alleged that former PCMT workers were not getting their fare share from the PMPML and that not a single rupee should be given to the PMPML. He demanded that if the proposal is approved then his opposition should be noted in the proceedings of the house.
Voicing a similar opinion, NCP corporator Mahesh Landge said that though PMPML recruited 600 men on contract basis from Pune, not even a single person was hired from Pimpri-Chinchwad. He demanded that PMPML should recruit 40 per cent of its men from PCMC, in accordance with its share in the PMPML.
NCP corporator Yogesh Behl said that according to the proposal, the PCMC has to bear 30 per cent of the expense for purchasing the buses. "The PCMC should not pay this amount as the buses will be bought on PPP basis and private operator should pay for it," he said.
Ashok Sonavane, group leader of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) corporators in the PCMC, said that the PMPML should not buy any air-conditioned buses as the transport body had to slash the ticket rates as these buses were not popular with the commuters.
Civic chief Ashish Sharma said that the PMPML urgently needs the money to buy buses and that the PCMC should give the Rs 16.25 crore immediately. Chairman of the PCMC standing committee Dnyaneshwar Bhalerao extended his support in this regard and demanded that the proposal be approved.
