SHILLONG: The Urban Affairs Department till now has not been able to condemn the 52 SPTS buses since the department has not got the clearance from the Transport department.
Sources from the Urban Affairs department said that it is not easy to get the clearance to condemn the vehicles.
The JNNURM buses were initially operated by the Meghalaya Transport Corporation and later, the buses were given to three organisations for its operations on a Public Private Partnership (PPP) mode.
Later again in 2014, the special purpose vehicle 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.
After a while, two out of four groups surrendered the buses to the government, adding that in 2013, 139 buses were sanctioned and new tenders were floated and the buses were allotted to successful bidders including the Meghalaya Transport Corporation.
However, MTC later expressed their inability to operate the buses and surrendered 21 buses which were allotted to the corporation, adding many of the buses were on and off the road.
The Department, along with the Motor Vehicle Inspectors, later conducted an assessment and 19 buses were found to be beyond economic repair and were recommended for condemnation, adding that the MVI also verified 20 more buses which required repairing to the tune of Rs 3 to 5 lakh.
Again, it was found that 12 more buses needed repairing to the tune of Rs 2 to Rs 2.5 lakh.
In 2017, the MVI was asked to assess the buses and it was found that 53 buses were beyond economic repair.
