The Times of India 30.08.2009
PCMC to spend Rs 6.4 crore on free bus pass scheme
Pune: The Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) will spend Rs 6.4 crore on a free bus pass scheme for students living within municipal limits.
Speaking to reporters here on Friday, Dnyaneshwar Bhalerao, chairman, standing committee and director, Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Limited (PMPML), said the PCMC has a provision of Rs 10 crore for school education, which can be increased to Rs 15 crore to Rs 20 crore.
The PCMC had taken a decision to provide free bus passes to the students of Std V to XII residing within the municipal limits and invited applications from interested students. As many as 20,754 applications were received at the four zonal offices of the PCMC.
The PCMC received 12,961 applications from students of Std V to X and will incur an expenditure of Rs 250 per student per month. The total monthly expenditure will be Rs 32.40 lakh while the annual expenditure will be Rs 3.07 crore.
As many as 7,793 applications from students of Std XI and XII were received. The civic body will spend Rs 450 per student per month, which means a total monthly expenditure of Rs 35.06 lakh and annual expenditure of Rs 3.33 crore.
The civic body has started distributing the free bus passes from Monday at its four zonal offices.
Meanwhile, Bhalerao said the PMPML will start bus service from Akurdi railway station to the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) headquarters from Sunday.
The buses on the new route will start from Akurdi railway station and pass through Sambhaji chowk, Mhalsakant school, Sukhwani chowk, Akurdigaon, Indira chowk, Shitaladevi, Khandoba temple, Bhoirnagar, Chinchwadgaon and Dange chowk to reach the PMC building.
