[sustran] Re: fowd: Delhi bans old buses

[Wendell Cox]

Do you have any sense of the extent to which the bus services are subsidized. And is the government payment (subsidy) based upon vehicle kms, passengers, or some other variable?

Thank you.
Wendell Cox
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: SAVE BOMBAY COMMITEE 
  To: Sustran Discuss 
  Sent: Friday, April 07, 2000 3:16 PM
  Subject: [sustran] Re: fowd: Delhi bans old buses


    
  SAVE BOMBAY COMMITEE wrote: 

    Dear Paul, 
    Your email of  01.04.2000 and your query about the basis for accepting tenders.  Normally the lowest quotation meeting with the tender requirements used to be accepted when public tenders where issued.  Now in the corrupt  governance,  limited tenders are issued to friends and parties ready  to share financial benefits with the executives.  The tenders are decided in favour of  friends even though they are not the lowest.  Quality of work, better services or less subsidy are no more the   criteria. 

    The news that public buses causing pollution are being withdrawn in Delhi following the Supreme Court directive is interesting indeed.  Where  the administration cannot do or does  not want to do,    judiciary comes in to bring order.  Let us hope that old  buses are totally scrapped and not given to other operators  for other than carrying bus passengers.  Quite often,  such  buses are used for transporting children or employees. 

    The authorities could help in conversion from diesel to compressed natural gas (CNG) so that the requisite number of buses are available for transportation citizens.    The Government of  India has announced that the LPG in addition to CNG will be allowed as fuel. 

    It must however be clear that people will not,  though they should,  resort to cycling.  Today they   are going over to two wheeler motorcycles or three wheeler autorikshaws if they cannot afford second hand cars.   In Mumbai,  there is spurt in motor cycles for personal transport and autorikshaws replacing taxies.  Motor cycles mount and cruise on pavement to bypass vehicular traffic jams on roads. 

    However much though one  would wish the people to  resort to walking for short distances and cycling for commuting  to work or othererrands,  I am afraid that cycling will not become the mode for movement in burgeoning cities of the developing countries.  Roads are crowded up with motor cars.  Taxes on private cars are withdrawn giving licence to own and use motor cars freely.Best wishes.   As President of the Bomnbay Association of Pedestrians, this unhealthy development is not appreciated. Best wishes. 
    Kisan Mehta 
    President 
     

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