Centre sanctions Rs 76 cr for BRTS

The Pune Municipal Corporation received Rs 263.89 crore,the most in 2010-11 for any civic body as per the PMC

The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) received Rs 263.89 crore,the most in 2010-11 for any civic body as per the PMC,for development works under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM). On Thursday,the Union Government also sanctioned Rs 76 crore for Bus Rapid Transit System in the city.

“Within a span of two months,the civic body has got Rs 263.89 crore for development works under JNNURM,” a PMC statement said.

The sanctions came after PMC officers informed the Central Sanctioning and Monitoring Committee that most of the development works under JNNURM in Pune are in final stages.

Standing Committee chairman Ganesh Bidkar held a meeting on implementation of BRTS on Friday. “The PMPML has been asked to give a timeline on effective implementation of BRTS. The PMPML failed to appoint any technical person for the job and has been unable to improve BRTS service,” he said,adding the PMC is concerned about the execution of BRTS and plans to set up a separate company for BRTS.

Bidkar said there is a lot of confusion over BRTS plan. “There are multiple agencies involved in planning the BRTS leading to confusion. The tender has been approved but the work is not being implemented as there is no clarification on the way the BRTS should be implemented,” he said.

The ITDP has offered consultancy for effective operation of BRTS and has said that major changes are required to make BRTS successful,he added.

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