[sustran] Ministry backs private operators for buses

[Vinay Baindur]

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/pune/Ministry-backs-private-operators-for-buses/articleshow/34751374.cms


Ministry backs private operators for busesManish
Umbrajkar<http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/toireporter/author-Manish-Umbrajkar.cms>
,TNN | May 7, 2014, 02.50 AM IST


PUNE: Both Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad municipal corporations, which have got
650 buses under central government funding through the Jawaharlal Nehru
National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM), may have to deploy private
contractors to operate these buses on per km basis.

The move, the government says, will ensure proper upkeep of the buses.
While the transport undertaking will have the right to collect fares, the
private operator will deploy drivers and make use of depots with some
conditions as a rider.

In addition to the 650 buses already delivered in the first phase of
JNNURM, the Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Limited, which operates
these buses, will get another 500 buses in the second phase.

The ministry of urban development, which allotted the JNNURM funds for the
buses to over 60 cities including Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad, has said one
of the major challenges is operation and maintenance of buses in a
sustainable manner.

The ministry said the private sector can be involved for operation and
maintenance of buses through gross cost contract basis.

Early this month, the ministry came out with a model bus operator
agreement, and advised all transport undertakings to explore whether they
can go in for such an agreement.

The model agreement, the ministry said, would help cities in operation and
maintenance of buses under a balanced public private partnership (PPP)
arrangement wherein both private and public entities work to their
strengths for enabling efficient city bus service.

As per the model agreement, operators would be paid on a per km basis,
which can be increased periodically for increase in fuel prices and
inflation index. The transport undertaking, which will have the rights to
decide fares and its collection, will appoint bus conductors.

Besides proper operation and maintenance of buses, the operator would have
to ensure that the appointed drivers are given training on driving, safety,
behaviour and hygiene. The operator will be liable for damages due to
negligent driving, or accidents of the contracted buses.

When contacted, a senior PMPML official said it would be difficult to
follow the advisory as the conditions have to be stipulated at an early
stage before the buses are procured.

Of the 650 buses procured in the first phase, 200 have been handed over to
a private operator for maintenance. The remaining buses are operated by
PMPML, the official said.

Features of the advisory model agreement

** Private operators to ply buses on per kilometer basis, which can be
increased

** Transport undertaking to install monitoring devices to enable real time
tracking

** Operators to maintain and park buses at bus depots under certain
conditions

** Operator to deploy licenced drivers and give them training on safe
driving

** Operator liable for accidents, damages

** Highest standards of cleanliness both inside and outside buses during
start of operations for the day

** Transport undertaking to operate a central control centre to register
complaints of commuters