Endless wait for feeder buses in Ahmedabad

Ahmedabad Municipal Transport Service (AMTS) bosses are facing a major problem. On one hand, school and college vacations are over and students are returning, leading to increased passenger load on AMTS buses. And on the other hand, there seems to be no signs of the 145 feeder buses that the department had asked for, being delivered.

On Monday, AMTS chairman Pravin Patel and deputy municipal commissioner MS Patel made a representation to standing committee chairman Asit Vora, to push for the delivery of the 145 feeder buses, so that those could replace the old, rickety ones.

The 145 feeder buses have been bought under the JNNURM project for urban transport. The AMC had already received the consignment of 145 buses, but the civic body then proposed some changes in the design, to make the buses more driver and commuter friendly.

Municipal commissioner IP Gautam said that Tata Motors would show them the proto-type bus with changes, within four weeks. "After a month, when we check the modified bus model, we will be able to say when exactly the 145 buses will arrive. It will take some time, but the first consignment is slated to come within two months from now," said Gautam.

Pravin Patel, while speaking to DNA, said that they have requested Vora to have the buses brought in soon, as they do not have sufficient buses at the moment. The feeder buses would prove good support when the load on the AMTS goes up, post the reopening of schools and colleges.

The AMTS ferries around 9 lakh passengers a day, with an average income of Rs27 lakh. "During the summer vacation though, the average number of passengers has come down to 8.5 lakh, and the income to Rs25 lakh. When passengers increase, we will need to add to our current fleet of around 675 buses. This is therefore, the right time for the feeder buses to come in," said Patel.