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Govt awaits central funds for Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission buses

Tuesday, 14 August 2012 07:08 administrator
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The Times of India   14.08.2012

Govt awaits central funds for Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission buses

KOLKATA: Swanky city buses purchased under the central scheme have become a cause of worry for the ailing state transport department. Though the state government has made the payment, the department is yet to get the proportionate funds the Centre had promised to share during the purchase of these 1,300 buses under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM).

Release of funds has been put on hold because the state is yet to initiate some reforms in the transport sector and undertaking city-specific urban planning measures such as setting up of dedicated urban transport funds and measures to strengthen traffic management mechanism.

However this time, a Union minister has taken up the state's cause. Union minister of state for urban development, Saugata Roy, has shot off a letter to the urban development ministry over the Centre's pending share yet to be released.

Expressing dismay over the issue, Roy in his letter to Union urban development minister Kamal Nath wanted to know why the ministry did not inform him about the delay in release of the remaining Rs 76 crore out of the Rs 145.40-crore fund for West Bengal. The minister of state was amazed at the way he had been kept in the dark.

The state government has bought 1,300 buses under the JNNURM scheme for which the Centre allotted Rs 145.40 crore. The Centre has only paid the first installment Rs 68 crore to the state government and is yet to release the remaining Rs 76 crore that has been put on hold for quite some time. And all this while, the Centre kept asking for clarifications from the state government.

"It is true that the ministry did not inform me about the matter in the first place which Kamal Nath has conceded to me. The ministry had, however, sent a letter to the state government asking it to undertake some pending reform measures," Roy said.

Roy also said that there were some complaints during the Left Front government's tenure when the Centre had sanctioned the funds for JNNURM buses. "A report is being prepared stating the facts," Roy said. The Bengal government is already reeling under acute financial crisis and the delay in release of funds is adding to its woes. giving the funds to the state is only making things that much more difficult.

The minister said that last week the ministry had cleared funds worth Rs 110 crore under the JNNURM scheme for setting up the Kamalgazi flyover. Besides, there are quite a few JNNURM projects like the water supply projects at Madhyamgram and Khardah that are awaiting final clearance.

According to the proposal passed, the Centre has promised to fund a total of Rs 2,600 crore from the JNNURM funds. The state had earlier sent project proposals asking for Rs 3,200 crore.

Last Updated on Tuesday, 14 August 2012 07:09
 

Kozhikode eyes JNNURM-funded buses

Friday, 10 August 2012 09:45 administrator
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The Times of India   10.08.2012

Kozhikode eyes JNNURM-funded buses

KOZHIKODE: Moves are afoot to introduce AC and non-AC low-floor buses under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) project in Kozhikode city. District collector K V Mohankumar who is also the chairman of the regional transport authority (RTA) has directed the KSRTC to submit a detailed report on the feasibility of introducing such buses in the city.A decision towards this was taken at the RTA meeting held here on Thursday.

The demand for low-floor buses in the city had come up after the KSRTC introduced them in the state capital and Kochi three years ago, under the JNNURM project. Even though only cities with a population of at least 10 lakh are eligible for the JNNURM fund, the ministry of urban development has granted an in-principle approval for the low-floor bus project in Kozhikode, following pressure from various corners."We will do our best to make the city get the fund and we are hopeful that the service will be introduced in Kozhikode soon," said the district collector.

District transport officer P Sashidharan said the KSRTC will start the study immediately after receiving the official letter from the collector and it would be completed in a time-bound manner. "The KSRTC is hopeful that we can overcome the hurdles, including the criteria for the eligibility to be included under the JNNURM project, with the support of people's representatives," he said.

As per the 2011 census, the city's population is 4.32 lakh. However, the ministry of urban affairs is planning to amend the rule to incorporate more cities under the project.

At present, only 63 cities in the country are eligible for assistance under the JNNURM project. Other urban local bodies (ULBs) have to go for loans to take up urban development projects.Thrissur is another town in the state that has put forth a demand for JNNURM funding to introduce low-floor buses.

Last Updated on Friday, 10 August 2012 09:47
 

Transport utility asks civic bodies to provide 10 AC buses for IT employees

Tuesday, 07 August 2012 11:12 administrator
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The Indian Express   07.08.2012

Transport utility asks civic bodies to provide 10 AC buses for IT employees

With the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) urging PMPML to start a special bus service for employees of Information Technology (IT) industry, the public transport utility has asked PMC and Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) to provide them at least 10 AC buses. The move is aimed at discouraging IT employees from using their private vehicles to travel to work.

“The PMC has made a provision of introducing a special bus service for IT employees. The civic body has also decided to upgrade Pune Darshan buses for tourists,” said Pravin Ashtikar, joint managing director of PMPML. He added that the transport utility is prepared to take up the job but the civic body should provide the buses for the purpose.

“A meeting was held with the civic administration to decide the specifications of the buses. The transport utility has put forth its demand,” said Ashtikar said. The faster the civic bodies provide buses, sooner the service can be launched, he said.

He said the air-conditioned buses will ply from various parts of the city to IT parks. “PMPML will charge more from commuters using the AC bus service.”PMC vehicle department incharge Kishore Pol said the idea behind launching a special bus service was to reduce traffic congestion on city roads.

Pol said there is a budgetary provision of Rs 4 crore for the special buses and Rs 1.6 crore for Pune darshan tourist buses.“There was a demand from IT companies to introduce a special service to Rajiv Gandhi Infotech Park at Hinjewadi. There is a traffic jam on the route daily as most of the employees prefer to travel to work by their vehicles,” he said.

Pol said specifications for the buses have been decided and a proposal to purchase the buses will be tabled in the civic body. The special buses will have facilities like LCD television, earphone, mobile and laptop charger, he said.

Last Updated on Tuesday, 07 August 2012 11:14
 
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