By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: The Government-run public transport system in the city – the SPTS bus service and the SSPTS maxi taxi service – has been appreciated by the Central Government, Principal Secretary, Urban Affairs, P Naik claimed here.
Naik informed that a meeting was held in New Delhi recently on the JNNURM projects and Meghalaya was largely appreciated for its public transport system in the form of SPTS buses and maxi taxis that is catering to the commuters of the city.
During the meeting, the augmentation of the existing strength of public buses and the possibility of extending similar services to other municipal areas of the State was discussed, Naik added.
“They (Centre) are happy over the fact that we are operating these vehicles on self sustaining basis,” Naik told reporters here.
It is learnt that the State Government has asked for more transport vehicles and the details are being worked out by the Department.
Reacting to a query, Naik also informed that the Urban Affairs department has taken back 48 buses from the Meghalaya Transport Corporation out of which 32-33 buses are operating.
At present, 100 SPTS buses, 20 SSTS buses and 127 maxi taxis are being operated in and around the city by the State Government with the help of different self help groups.
While pointing out that the twenty bigger buses would be coming to the State in two weeks’ time, Naik also observed that the number of complaints of ticket not being issued by conductors to the passengers has come down.
“We do conduct random checking in these buses,” he added.
