PUNE Pune-based private Sagar Roadways has pulled out of an agreement with the Maharashtra state road transport corporation (MSRTC), after getting a work order in July,for 400 Shivshahi buses to be procured and operated by the company on contract basis.
An official spokesperson of the MSRTC said, “This development would not hinder the process of induction of 400 buses, however, it will lead to a small delay. The issue is being monitored and will be resolved soon.”
A senior official of the MSRTC, on condition of anonymity, said, “Sagar roadways were given the work order of 400 Shivshahi buses to be operated on a contract basis through a proper tendering process done a month ago. However, after the work order was given, the company pulled out of the agreement stating that the procurement and operations of 400 buses will not be possible for them and the work should be awarded to some other company.”
Consequently, MSRTC will be floating another tender for these 400 buses in the coming month, said the MSRTC official.
Considering a good response to the Shivshahi buses, MSRTC which is the state-run bus service for Maharashtra, had decided to induct 800 buses into its existing fleet of 1,000 buses, of which 400 will be outright owned by contractors. The remaining were to be inducted on a contract basis.
{{/usCountry}}Considering a good response to the Shivshahi buses, MSRTC which is the state-run bus service for Maharashtra, had decided to induct 800 buses into its existing fleet of 1,000 buses, of which 400 will be outright owned by contractors. The remaining were to be inducted on a contract basis.
{{/usCountry}}According to data released by MSRTC officials, so far there have been a total of 240 accidents involving Shivshahi in the last one and 18 months, of which 84 of the buses were being run on the contract basis.
This has led to death of 22 passengers, and injuries to 250.
BoxX:
12 MSRTC buses on Ahmedabad, Indore and Nagpur routes stop operations
The Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation has cancelled its sleeper coach services (12 buses) to Ahmedabad, Indore and Nagpur. An official spokesperson of MSRTC said, “A total of 76 buses are operational from Pune that are run on a contract basis. A private company called Eram Travel has been providing these services on contract. However, technical problems were reported on 12 of its buses on the Ahmedabad, Indore, Nagpur route, due to which operations have been cancelled.”
The issue will be resolved soon, said the spokesperson.