MSRTC vice-chairman: ‘Focus on replacing old buses, revamping stations and cleanliness of depots, vehicles’

Second is to revamp the bus stations. There is a policy for bus stations at prime locations that can be developed under PPP model. They can be leased out for 30 years. The developer/ concessionaire can develop it, lease out the constructed area and give it back to MSRTC after 30 years.

Also a minimum of 50 per cent land will remain with MSRTC. If MRSTC has two acres then at least one acre will remain with MSRTC, and remaining can go to the developer. Borivali, Bhiwandi, Mumbai Central, Nashik Highway, Jalgaon City, Dhule, Nanded, Kolhapur are among the 20 stations identified under PPP model. Where the bus stop location is not prime, like in smaller cities, MSRTC will develop it either by repair or reconstruction.

Third is cleanliness of depots and buses, for which special campaigns have been initiated from May 1, that will continue over the year. Good buses and infrastructure facilities can actually attract people and increase passengers by 3–4% that will add to MSRTC revenue. At present, 53 lakh passengers use the services across Maharashtra every day. We have a total of 250 depots (bus is maintained), 585 bus stations (where passengers come).

How many new buses have been procured, and how many MSRTC buses are overaged and outdated?

In the past three years, due to Covid-19, new buses could not be purchased. Now, MSRTC has placed an order for 5,150 e-buses under the wet lease model, wherein the lessor provides the staff with the vehicle. In addition to this, MSRTC has placed an order for 2,700 diesel buses. The bus body is being built at workshops, and 350-400 buses have already been built and sent to various districts. Replacement of ageing buses has begun. So, about 7,000 buses will come in a year or two.

At present, the MSRTC has 16,000 buses in its fleet. Once new buses come in the old ones will be replaced, gradually. There are norms for buses   while scrapping them (10 years and 6.50 lakh km of running life). Recently we have begun refurbishing 7-8 years old buses. In Lal Pari red buses, the aluminum body is removed   and mild steel bodies are fit on the chassis, making the bus as good as new. After refurbishment, the life of buses increased by 7-8 years.

For this, RTO permission is taken… More than 1,000 buses have already been converted as such. Pollution norms are taken care of, and buses that have completed their lives are discarded. Every year 1,000 buses are scrapped.

For the first time, MSRTC appointed women drivers in 2019.

Around 100 women were recruited as drivers-cum-conductors. During Covid-19 outbreak, their training was stalled but now their training is complete. As many as 28 have started driving MSRTC buses on different routes like Pune, Ahmednagar, and others.

What is MSRTC’s financial status?

The financial status per se is not very good, because accumulated losses amount to Rs 8,000 crore. We are trying to match operating expenses and operating income. We are mooting ways to be in a position to meet our expenses. I anticipate that after a year MSRTC will sustain itself.

MSRTC earns Rs 26-27 crore per day, however, to overcome losses, it must earn more than Rs 30 crore daily. Although the government provides money, the liabilities are huge.

After the strike, when workers resumed work, it was an uphill task to put the buses back on the roads, due to stalled maintenance and the buses were not running in those months. However, we are slowly recovering. Besides the 50 per cent concessions granted to female passengers and elderly people aged 75 years and above, really helped improve earnings of MSRTC. Women passengers, who accounted for 30 per cent of passengers, increased to 38 per cent.

Maintenance of buses is challenging even though mechanics and other staffers in the workshop are from MSRTC. However, spare parts such as tyres, engine oil, filters (consumable items) costs Rs 700 crore annually for the fleet of 16,000 buses.