Int’l makers do not have buses with specifications required by AJL; plans in offing to reissue tender.
Though Ahmedabad is a successful example of where Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS) has been a success, articulated buses on these dedicated tracks still seem a distant dream.
Ahmedabad Janmarg Limited (AJL), which runs BRTS buses for Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC), had floated global Expression of Interest (EOI) for vestibular buses but it is yet to receive any response from a global manufacturer in this regard.
This development has come as a shock to BRTS officials who were quite confident of getting these buses on city roads.
If sources are to be believed, global manufacturers haven't been able to meet chassis requirements as per BRTS specifications. "Though cost wasn't an issue, specifications that we had demanded for the buses was not available with international manufacturers. We now are mulling invitations for EOI again," said a senior official with BRTS.
These articulated buses can ferry 120 passengers at one time where two buses are joined together.
This was the first time BRTS had floated global EOI for vestibular buses. Earlier, AJL had received approval from Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) to introduce these high-end buses, each of which costs about Rs90 lakh. New global EOI will be invited again after municipal commissioner Guruprasad Mohapatra approves them.
AJL, meanwhile, has also released tenders for high-end, air-conditioned buses for BRTS. "We are inviting tenders (for high-end buses) again as we hadn't received substantial number of bids for the same," said the official. Volvo Buses and Mercedes-Benz had shown interest in these tenders but have asked for more time to meet specifications, fording tenders to be floated again.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}