Officers of Bhopal Municipal Corporation and BCLL (Bhopal City Link Limited) have failed to resolve the issue of city buses. A total of 139 city buses have not run for the last 14 days.
Mayor Malti Rai has held a meeting in this matter, but the ticket collection dispute could not be resolved. In such a situation, now a new agency is being decided. The last date for its tender is tomorrow i.e. Thursday.
Earlier due to the ticket collection dispute, the wheels of these buses have been 'braked' since July 4. On July 9, Mayor Rai had a meeting with the officers and the responsible persons of the 'Chalo App' company that collects tickets. After this meeting, 10 buses were taken out from the depot located in Baghsewania on July 10. The remaining 139 buses were not operated. The reason behind this is that there is no consensus between ticket collection and BCLL. Meanwhile, a new agency is being decided.
As of Wednesday, the new agency could not be decided. However, the tender process is being done for this. Thursday is the last date for filling the tender.
The officers said, even if the tender process is completed on Thursday, the work will be done only after the next four to five days. In such a situation, the corporation can start operating the buses in its own hands only through drivers and conductors.
On these routes where 149 buses run, an average of 40000 passengers travel there in a day. Passengers are upset due to non-operation of buses.
The reason behind the buses not running is the demand to reduce the amount given per km by the ticket collection agency 'Chalo App'.
For five days, the officials of BCLL and the corporation could not find a solution to this problem. In such a situation, Mayor Rai had to hold a meeting on the sixth day. Still, the operation of all the buses could not be started.
In this case, Aziz Khan, president of Bhopal City Vehicle Drivers and Conductors Trade Union INTUC, said that drivers and conductors have become unemployed due to the stoppage of bus operations. They are also facing difficulties in maintaining their families. The corporation should reach a conclusion soon.
