Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation, that just four years ago dumped the city bus service it was running, has reportedly again evinced interest in operating the service, especially the fleet of 240 buses sanctioned under Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) for Nagpur Municipal Corporation. "MSRTC, which has re-launched city bus service operations in cities like Nanded, Nashik and Aurangabad where private bus operators failed to run the show, is ready to operate the 240 buses in Nagpur too," a senior MSRTC official from Mumbai told TOI.
The matter apparently came up for discussion in the meeting of MSRTC and NMC official over handing over of Mor Bhavan bus stand for city bus operations. If it materializes, Mor Bhavan stand will be available for city bus services and commuters will have parallel services with 230 buses of private operator Vansh Nimay and another 240 buses being run by MSRTC, the official added.
MSRTC has a huge infrastructure, adequate manpower and expertise in operating transport services. "We have trained drivers, technical staff and infrastructure and we can operate the city buses successfully," he added. During, the then transport minister Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil's tenure, state government had even decided to form a subsidiary company of MSRTC especially to operate city bus services across all major cities in state, the official stated.
Now, Chief Minister Prithiviraj Chavan himself is handling the transport portfolio. He is likely to give green signal to the proposal, he added. MSRTC, that was running the Nagpur city bus service with a fleet of about 100 buses, had given it up stating it was not its job to run urban transport.
The four-hour meeting held between MSRTC officials led by vice-chairman and managing director of MSRTC Deepak Kapoor and municipal commissioner Sanjeev Jaiswal, who is vice-chairman and managing director of Nagpur Mahanagar Parivahan Ltd (NMPL), however, could not reach a decision on Mor Bhavan.
Mayor Archana Dehankar, who is also chairman of NMPL told TOI that MSRTC officials had decided to put up all NMC proposals including Mor Bhavan bus stand transfer, operating of 240 JNNURM buses in city and a few others before the MSRTC board. After getting approval they (NMC-MSRTC) would meet after another ten days to proceed further.
Mahesh Kandalkar, manager of Vansh Nimay, the private bus operator, said MSRTC themselves had given up the city bus service. It was not possible for them now to take over 240 JNNURM buses. As a private operator we have paid 30% of the cost of buses- Rs 18 crore - and are also paying a royalty of Rs 3,750 per bus per month to NMC.
The matter apparently came up for discussion in the meeting of MSRTC and NMC official over handing over of Mor Bhavan bus stand for city bus operations. If it materializes, Mor Bhavan stand will be available for city bus services and commuters will have parallel services with 230 buses of private operator Vansh Nimay and another 240 buses being run by MSRTC, the official added.
MSRTC has a huge infrastructure, adequate manpower and expertise in operating transport services. "We have trained drivers, technical staff and infrastructure and we can operate the city buses successfully," he added. During, the then transport minister Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil's tenure, state government had even decided to form a subsidiary company of MSRTC especially to operate city bus services across all major cities in state, the official stated.
Now, Chief Minister Prithiviraj Chavan himself is handling the transport portfolio. He is likely to give green signal to the proposal, he added. MSRTC, that was running the Nagpur city bus service with a fleet of about 100 buses, had given it up stating it was not its job to run urban transport.
The four-hour meeting held between MSRTC officials led by vice-chairman and managing director of MSRTC Deepak Kapoor and municipal commissioner Sanjeev Jaiswal, who is vice-chairman and managing director of Nagpur Mahanagar Parivahan Ltd (NMPL), however, could not reach a decision on Mor Bhavan.
Mayor Archana Dehankar, who is also chairman of NMPL told TOI that MSRTC officials had decided to put up all NMC proposals including Mor Bhavan bus stand transfer, operating of 240 JNNURM buses in city and a few others before the MSRTC board. After getting approval they (NMC-MSRTC) would meet after another ten days to proceed further.
Mahesh Kandalkar, manager of Vansh Nimay, the private bus operator, said MSRTC themselves had given up the city bus service. It was not possible for them now to take over 240 JNNURM buses. As a private operator we have paid 30% of the cost of buses- Rs 18 crore - and are also paying a royalty of Rs 3,750 per bus per month to NMC.
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