Indian Express 28.04.2010
PMPML bus purchase: civic body to issue tender within 2 days
Express News Service Tags : corporation, transport Posted: Wednesday, Apr 28, 2010 at 0412 hrs
Pune: All the bus stops in the PMC’s jurisdiction are on the left side of the road, and a door on the right side of the bus was against the interest of the city, PMC feels.
Putting an end to the controversy over the purchase of buses for the Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Ltd (PMPML), the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) standing committee on Tuesday directed the civic administration to publish an advertisement in the next two days on the purchase of 200 buses with doors only on the left side.The controversy over the purchase of buses for PMPML cropped up after the PMC standing committee opposed the PMPML move to purchase buses with doors on both sides of the bus.
“The public transport company was asked to change the norms set for the purchase of buses but they have not done it so far. Thus, we directed the civic administration to publish an advertisement within two days for purchase of 200 buses with door on the left side,” said Arvind Shinde, chairman, standing committee.
He said the buses will be semi low-floor buses running on CNG fuel and all will be non air-conditioned.
Earlier, the PMPML had issued tenders for purchasing 100 air-conditioned and 400 non air-conditioned buses with low floor and doors on both sides. It later amended the norms by deciding to purchase only non air-conditioned buses.
However, the transport authority’s plan of purchasing buses with doors on both sides was opposed by the PMC. Shinde said that the PMPML was not following the detailed project report (DPR) that was submitted to the union government for purchase of buses under Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM).
The elected representatives in PMC alleged that the PMPML plan of purchasing buses with doors on both sides were being done only for the interest of the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC).
All the bus stops in the PMC jurisdiction were on the left side and having door on right side of the bus was against the interest of city.
The political parties in PMC were divided on the issue with NCP supporting the PMPML plan while the Congress, Bharatiya Janata Party and Shiv Sena opposing the move of purchasing buses with doors on both sides.
