SHILLONG: Urban Affairs Minister Hamlet Dohling on Tuesday informed the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly that out of the 259 STP buses sanctioned for Meghalaya in 2011, only 206 are operating.
Replying to a call attention motion moved by Congress MLA Process T Sawkmie on a news item published in The Shillong Times under the caption, ‘The wheels don’t go round and round any more’, Dohling said 53 buses will have to be condemned and the government would take all efforts for that.
“We are awaiting clearance from the Transport Department for condemning the vehicles,” he added.
Earlier, Dohling said the STP buses were initially operated by the Meghalaya Transport Corporation and later these were given to three organisations for its operations on a PPP (public-private partnership) mode.
Again in 2014, a special purpose vehicle (SPV) worked out the details and tenders were floated and finally four groups were engaged for operating the buses at a cost of Rs 570 per day per bus for 28 designated routes.
The minister added that after some time, two out of the four groups surrendered the buses to the government. In 2013, 139 buses were sanctioned and new tenders were floated and the buses were allotted to successful bidders, including Meghalaya Transport Corporation (MTC).
However, MTC later expressed its inability to operate the buses and surrendered 21 vehicles. There was depreciation and many buses were irregular in service.
The department, along with the motor vehicle inspectors, had conducted an assessment and 19 buses were beyond economic repair and the buses were recommended for condemnation, the minister said, adding that the MVI verified 20 more buses which required repairing at the cost of Rs 3-5 lakh.
Again, it was found that 12 more buses needed repairing which would cost around Rs 2 to 2.5 lakh.
In 2017, the MVI was asked to assess the bus and it was found that 53 buses were beyond economic repair.
“Apart from 53 buses, other buses are running though some of them may be off the road for maintenance,” Dohling said.
Earlier, Congress MLA from Mawlai PT Sawkmie inquired if the condemning process of the bus requires clearance from the Centre since these buses were sanctioned by the central government.
He also urged the government to increase the number of buses for the benefit of the people.
