But what if you're told that by this Navratri, you would be able to ride back home in an air conditioned bus after a fun-filled, but sweltering garba night?
It may be hard to think of a public transport that can provide all the comforts of a luxury car.
But what if you're told that by this Navratri, you would be able to ride back home in an air conditioned bus after a fun-filled, but sweltering garba night?
Your reaction, most predictably, will be that of disbelief. But if things go as planned, the Ahmedabad Janmarg Limited (AJL) will roll out luxury AC BRTS buses by Navratri.
After delaying the plan to introduce AC buses for more than a year, a team of AJL and Centre of Environment Planning and Technology (Cept) officials recently visited Bangalore to inspect the prototype AC bus. The team has given go-ahead to the prototype after studying technical specifications. The prototype bus would be brought to Ahmedabad for approval from municipal commissioner IP Gautam and the leaders of the elected wing in September second week.
"Once the AJL bosses give nod, the company would deliver the bus within 45 days. The AJL has placed order for 20 AC buses. If the prototype is okayed, the company would start delivering the remaining 19 AC buses in batches. So, it would not be difficult for AJL to start the AC bus service even if at least five AC buses reach city in the first batch," said a senior AJL official.
Officials feel the only hurdle that may delay the running of the AC buses is the upcoming municipal elections, which are also scheduled for early October. But they said if there is no political pressure to hold the launch, they would start the service without any official bash.
The AC buses would be a welcome change for upper middle-class commuters or people used to car travel. Cept has been conducting user surveys since the launch of BRTS and they have received requests for AC buses.
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