The condition of Rajasthan Roadways is deteriorating day by day. Due to government neglect, the number of Roadways buses is decreasing while contracted vehicles are increasing. The Udaipur depot is facing a similar situation. Here, 59 Roadways buses and 19 contracted buses are being operated.
Rajasthan Roadways Buses
According to corporation sources, ten years ago, Rajasthan Roadways had more than 125 buses. At that time, contracted buses were also in operation, but only about 10 to 15 buses were contracted. Gradually, the number of contract buses has increased. As a result, the Udaipur depot currently has only 59 of its own buses. Additionally, 19 contracted buses are helping Roadways operate on various routes and operations are being carried out on 73 routes.
A few months ago, Roadways received five contracted buses. These buses were operated on long-distance routes. Currently, the management is expected to receive five more buses. With these buses, having 7 to 8 new buses will be more beneficial for Roadways.
Udaipur Bus Shortage
The Udaipur depot has 108 designated routes. Due to a shortage of buses, only 73 routes are currently being operated. As for the number of drivers, the depot has about 110 drivers. Out of these, 13 drivers are working as conductors and in other roles. To address the shortage of drivers, 25 contracted drivers have been hired.
Introduction of Air-Conditioned E-Buses in Seven Cities
Air-conditioned e-buses are expected to give public transport a significant boost in seven cities across the state by September. Following a review meeting with Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma, officials from the Local Self Government (LSG) department have decided to expedite the procurement process of these e-buses under the Prime Minister E-Bus Sewa Scheme.
Proposal Sent for 500 E-Buses
"We have sent our proposal to buy 500 e-buses for seven cities in the state including Udaipur, Jaipur, Jodhpur, Ajmer, Kota, Bikaner, and Bharatpur," said Ramavatar Meena, Chairman and Managing Director of Jaipur City Transport Services Ltd (JCTSL). "All the necessary paperwork has been completed. We are in constant touch with the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs to complete the procurement process."
Distribution of E-Buses
Jaipur is set to receive 150 out of the 500 e-buses, while the remaining buses will be distributed among the other six cities. The agency will procure these buses on behalf of the state government and will allocate them to the municipal corporations in these cities. This initiative is expected to enhance the public transportation system significantly.
The vehicles will be managed and serviced by the autonomous government department via Convergence Energy Services Ltd (CESL), a subsidiary under the Ministry of Power and New and Renewable Energy.
Source: Rajasthan Patrika & Times of India
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