By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: Meghalaya Urban Development Authority (MUDA) Secretary, T Lyngwa, on Monday admitted that ten SPTS buses were parked in the parking lot of Mawlai and Mawpat as these buses earlier operated by Meghalaya Transport Corporation (MTC) were returned to MUDA in very bad condition.
The MUDA Secretary also informed that the tool kits and spare tyres of the SPTS buses were yet to be repaired and 30 out of the 50 buses returned by the MTC were in bad shape.
Lyngwa’s statement comes a day after it was revealed that many of the SPTS buses were lying unused in Mawlai and Mawpat.
“The impending challenge for the department at the moment is to repair the buses, a high cost affair; besides the spare parts of the buses have to be brought from other states,” Lyngwa said, adding, “Even the tyres are worn out as the buses were left unattended and now it’s a big challenge for us to rectify the faults.” When asked about the complaints that tickets were still not being issued by the SPTS conductors, Lyngwa said that the conductors have been trained for the job and the Urban Affairs department has issued printed tickets for the purpose.
“If passengers have any complain they should immediately inform us,” he appealed.
When asked why the buses were allotted to different self help groups without floating tenders, the MUDA Secretary said that the department had decided to go for its own revenue model.
“If these self help groups do not perform we can take back the buses as was done with the MTC,” he said, while adding that the revenue model was not acceptable to the MTC and that was one of the main reasons for which the buses were taken back.
When asked about the steps being taken to improve the functioning of the SPTS buses, Lyngwa said that the department is carrying out surprise checking twice a week. He also informed that the bus drivers have been asked to wear uniforms.
The MUDA official also informed that at present 82 SPTS buses are operating in the city, ten buses are parked in parking lots at Mawlai and Mawpat, while some other buses with major problems were yet to be handed over by the MTC to the Urban Affairs department.