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Union government threatens to withdraw funds
With the Dakshina Kannada Regional Transport Authority (RTA) granting permits for only 18 buses out of the 35 sought to be deployed under Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) by the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) for city operations in Mangaluru, the chances of the city getting modern, low-floor buses that could have enhanced travel comfort, appear less.

Following prolonged delays in procuring buses sanctioned under the JNNURM by various city administrations/transport undertakings, the Union Ministry of Urban Development (MoUD), the funding agency for JNNURM, has threatened to cancel the sanctions.

The letter from MoUD to the State governments said, “Government of India has taken it seriously as the funds/grants meant for welfare of people of India has been kept unutilised for the last one year. Hence it has been decided that funds already released may be withdrawn with interest and the sanction may be cancelled in case the State governments do not furnish the status report regarding procurement of buses within one month, by August 24.”

The MoUD had released Rs. 8.64 crore to the KSRTC for Mangaluru and Udupi towns as the first instalment under the project.

The KSRTC’s Mangaluru Division was sanctioned total 65 buses under JNNURM — 30 for Udupi and 35 for Mangaluru. The corporation had applied for permits with the respective RTAs in December 2013.

While the Udupi RTA granted permits for all 30 buses a couple of months ago, the Dakshina Kannada RTA partially granted permits on Saturday.

Delayed procurement

Sources in the KSRTC said the corporation had been waiting for grant of permits to place orders for procurement of low-floor buses with designs as specified by the MoUD. While orders have been placed for Udupi city (35 buses) recently, they are yet to be placed for Mangaluru.

Saturday’s decision of Dakshina Kannada RTA in granting permits only for 18 buses as against 35 buses to be operated from the State Bank area, has further worsened the situation, the sources said. Orders have to be placed in bulk and not one by one to get the funds released, they said.

Even if the corporation places orders immediately, it would take not less than six months to get the new buses, as they would not be available off-the-shelf, the sources said. There are only two manufacturers in India — Tata Motors and Ashok Leyland — who bring out the ordinary low-floor buses.

They cannot bring out buses in large numbers at one go when more than 10,000 buses are required to be deployed across the country under JNNURM, the sources said. As of now, the KSRTC has placed orders for 545 buses; but their delivery would require time, they said.

 Salient features of urban buses under JNNURM

*Governments to bear project cost — 80 p.c. by Centre and 20 p.c. by State

*Low-floor coaches

*Wide entry in the middle and in the front

*Pneumatic doors at the entries to prevent footboard travelling

*Equipped with GPS, provision for announcement of stops

*Engines complying with Bharat State III emission standards

*Comfortable two-plus-two seating

 General benefits of KSRTC services

*Free bus pass for students in primary schools

*Concessional bus passes to other students/senior citizens/differently abled

*Crew trained in etiquette

*Provision for redressal of public grievance

‘Strong political lobby preventing permits to KSRTC’

The KSRTC Staff and Workers’ Federation, the recognised trade union of workers of road transport corporations in the State, on Sunday alleged that a few Ministers were behind the private bus operators’ lobby blocking issue of permits to KSRTC to operate city services in Mangaluru.

Federation General Secretary H.V. Ananthasubba Rao told The Hindu that the Regional Transport Authority (RTA) should have granted permits to the KSRTC.

It is unfortunate that government officials succumbed to pressure by private operators and politicians, Mr. Rao said.

The Regional Transport Authority (RTA) should have given preference to KSRTC as it is a State-run corporation and discharges several social obligations, unlike private bus operators, he reminded.

He was also critical about the role played by Transport Minister and KSRTC Chairman Ramalinga Reddy and the corporation itself. The Minister has failed to safeguard the interests of the Corporation, he said.

On the other hand, the KSRTC management too failed to make matching efforts to counter the private bus operators’ lobby. There is hardly any commitment to be seen on the part of the top management of the corporation, Mr. Rao regretted.