The Indian Express                      27.03.2013 

PMPML eyes civic octroi buildings for bus depots, parking bays

Even as Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad municipal corporations gear up to
implement the new Local Body Tax (LBT) from April 1, civic bodies have
the task of deciding the fate of octroi staff and the infrastructure set
up over the years to collect octroi. While officials said they would
shift octroi staff to other departments, they are yet to take a call on
infrastructure at their disposal that will be idle from April 1.

The management of the Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Ltd
(PMPML), the city’s transport service, has already “staked claim” to the
octroi posts. PMPML, struggling to get space at cheaper rate to set up
bus depots, termni or parking bays, wants both civic bodies to transfer
the properties to them.

“PMC has as many as 41 octroi posts, but proper infrastructure
that includes a building is available only at six,” said PMC octroi
chief Vilas Kanade. “PCMC has nearly 30 octroi posts but proper
infrastructure is in place only at four,” said PCMC octroi chief Ashok
Munde. PMC has 650 octroi employees who worked at various octroi posts
in Pune city. “All of them will be absorbed in other civic departments,”
said Kanade. Munde said the 450 PCMC octroi employees will be
transferred to other departments.

When contacted, PCMC Municipal Commissioner Shrikar Pardeshi said
PMPML has approached them seeking octroi buildings for setting up bus
depots or termini. “We have no problem if it will help them set up
facilities for commuter conveniences or parking buses. But it will have
to be approved by civic body members. We will place the proposal in the
civic general body meeting,” he said.

Incidentally, both the commissioners and mayors of PCMC and PMC are
on the board of directors of PMPML and officials said this could help
the transport body to get the properties transferred without much
convincing.

PMPML spokesperson Deepak Pardeshi said if both civic bodies
agree, the octroi properties which are at convenient locations will be
of great help to PMPML. “We are struggling to set up facilities due to
lack of funds. If these octroi posts are transferred to us, we can set
up termini,” he said.

Significantly, he said, these octroi properties could also find
use as CNG pumps or parking bays. “The rising cost of fuel has hurt our
expansion plans. If PMC and PCMC help us out, it will benefit the bus
service in a big way,” he said.

PMPML officials said they were certain PMC and PCMC would transfer the properties to them free of cost.

However, Jugal Rathi of PMP Pravasi Manch said PMC and PCMC
should transfer the octroi properties only with certain conditions. “The
primary condition is that PMPML will not hike fares for two-three
years. This is logical since PMPML will be getting properties worth
crores for free. We would urge PMC and PCMC to take it in writing from
PMPML that it will not hike fares and will use the premises
appropriately,” he said.