Double-door buses: Band to seek Central intervention

On Tuesday,Band had offered to step down after the PMC standing committee members demanded that he quit.

The civic body had strongly opposed the transport utility’s decision to buy buses with double doors for the bus rapid transit route (BRTS). Members and party leaders had decided that the civic body should purchase buses with doors on the left and give it to the transport body.

The civic body had also insisted that the 500 buses purchased under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) should be non-airconditioned,CNG-run,semi-low floor buses with doors on the left,since all bus stops in the PMC limits fall on the left. The Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad municipal corporations have to contribute funds for the purchase of these buses.

On April 12,Band,in a letter to the Pune Municipal Commissioner,stated that he had read that the civic body is considering to purchase buses independently. In the tenders floated by the PMPML on March 13,specifications for semi-low floor buses with doors on both sides have been given. If these specifications change,the entire process of tendering will have to be cancelled. Hence,he is unable to change the specifications.

He said that as per the Union government’s directives,the funds for purchase of buses under the JNNURM were to lapse if the work order was not given by March 31. A grace period was granted and Band had urged the civic body to transfer the funds to allow buying of the vehicles within the extended period.

However,standing committee members are strictly against buses with doors on both sides for the BRTS routes.