Delhi’s pollution has increased the burden on Uttarakhand government, it will have to pay interest of Rs 6.25 crore annually
After the crisis in the operation of buses to Delhi, the state government has started preparations for bus purchase after the approval of Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami to buy 100 new buses for Uttarakhand Transport Corporation.
The state government will pay an annual interest of Rs 6.25 crore on the loan that the Transport Corporation will take for the purchase of buses. New buses will be purchased on the tender of 130 buses already issued to Tata Company.
The government has started talks with the officials of Tata Company to get the buses supplied soon. Secretary Transport Brijesh Kumar Sant said that 100 new buses can be available in the next one and a half to two months.
Purchase of 100 new BS-6 diesel buses
After the approval of Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, the Transport Corporation on Thursday was busy preparing to purchase 100 new BS-6 diesel buses on the old tender. The corporation had given the tender of 130 new BS-6 buses to Tata Company last year itself.
So far, 77 buses have been supplied from Tata’s Goa plant, while the rest will arrive by the end of this month. On this tender, the corporation will order 100 new small buses from Tata Company. These buses will connect the hilly and remote areas of the state directly to Delhi.
Apart from this, preparations have also been started to take 100 CNG buses on contract. Transport Corporation wanted to buy 75 CNG buses, but after the sudden crisis on the Delhi route, now preparations are being made to take 100 buses on contract.
Tata had given time till November
Tata Company has given time till November to Transport Corporation to order 100 new buses on the tender of 130 old buses. Actually, this process had started in February. After the approval of the corporation board, the corporation management had sent a proposal to the government to buy 175 buses on April 10.
This included 100 buses BS-6 diesel and 75 CNG. However, now the Chief Minister has asked the corporation to buy 100 buses from its own company and take 100 CNG buses on contract in view of the emergency situation.
Now the corporation will have to place an order for 100 buses to Tata Company within the next one week, only then Tata will be able to supply the buses at the old price. Otherwise, Tata has said that it will increase the price of the buses in the new tender.
Could not find new routes for old buses
The Transport Corporation has not been able to find new routes for the 194 buses parked in various depots for the last six days. While operating on the Delhi route, these buses were making profits for the corporation, but in six days, the Transport Corporation is losing 30 to 40 lakh rupees every day.
Transport Secretary Brijesh Kumar Sant has immediately instructed the corporation officials to operate these buses on other routes.
