Why City bus service needs overhaul in Bhopal

NK SINGH

With the hike in petrol prices cabs have become prohibitive for the populace increasing rush on city bus service --only to add to the woes of the already suffering public. It needs to be emphasised that the bus fares had been increased by 25 per cent some two months ago. Naturally, the passengers had every right to expect better service from the State Road Transport Corporation. However, it is being felt that instead of any improvement the bus service has further deteriorated.

The much-publicised 10 new additions to the fleet of 65 city buses have not helped the MPSRTC to improve its image. Certainly, it needs many more buses to maintain a satisfactory service in Bhopal than its present fleet of 75.

Where is the fund?

The SRTC authorities are already lamenting about the heavy losses suffered by them in the town bus service whose maintenance cost is much more than those in the long route service. In fact, as the General Manager of SRTC, Mr NS Senhi, explained, the losses in city bus services are heavily subsidised by the district, services. For example. Bhopal alone accounted for about 30 per cent (nearly Rs. 35 lakhs) suffered by the MPSRTC during the year 1971-72. 

Nowhere in the world does public transport run in profit. They simply cannot. It is a public utility service and certainly, it is obligatory on the part of a state-owned body in a 'welfare state' to maintain a satisfactory transport service even if it means a loss to the exchequer. 

As for the heavy losses suffered by the city transport system, it is futile to blame the revenue side. As a survey of (the public transport services in Indian cities conducted last year by the ECONOMIC TIMES revealed, it is poor maintenance and corrupt practices?) which result in uneconomic operations more than anything else. The same is true for Bhopal.

As the General Manager of MPSRTC, Mr Sethi himself told Commoner', some of the general complaints received from the public are: overcrowding, missed trips, failure to maintain schedule, non-stoppage of buses, unimaginative routes, not is using of tickets, rude behaviour to- wards passengers on the matter of giving change and misbehaviour of the bus crew. Mr Sethi's complaints admitted that most of these said that they were genuine and trying to remove the public grievances "as far as possible."

As for the present routes he expressed his dissatisfaction with them, particularly the 'circular system', and said that they were trying to gradually do away with them. "But people are habituated to the old routes and we cannot of dispense with them overnight."

However, Mr Sethi concluded that people had their share of the blame in the form of a lack of civic sense. There are no queues at the bus stops, the crowds are very disorderly and everyone wants to travel by the first available bus resulting in staggering. The overcrowding results in buses being delayed culminating in missed trips and failure of schedule. This, in turn, results in overcrowding. "This a vicious circle", said Mr Sethi.

Suggestion

He had a few suggestions to offer to the travelling public. Office-goers should start early for their destinations and should not fall into the habit of taking the minute service, which may result in overcrowding and even late arrival at the office. Then, everyone should make small changes and insist on issuing proper tickets. "And certainly this is not demanding much from the public"

Mr Sethi's plea for civic sense among the passengers is of course justified and it can certainly help to improve the situation, but the earthly fact is that one can be patient only when he is sure to get into the next bus.

The real problem is an insufficient number of buses. According to a modest estimate, there are 20,000 passengers during peak hours in Bhopal and to carry them comfortably the Corporation needs at least 400 buses as against its present strength of 75.

Another basic problem 1 - imaginative routes. The present 'circular system' is very consuming and too long time to maintain control of them and rush help in the case of breakdowns.

As far as poor maintenance. 'Commoner' saw last Saturday afternoon as many as 40 buses lying idle in the city bus depot near Jawahar Chowk. This, in turn, results in missed trips, late running and consequent over-crowding. It is also an open secret that the main reason for high 'maintenance cos' is corruption. Unless strict steps are taken to check the same. town bus service would never improve, no matter how much more money is spent on it. 

Hitavada

January 7, 1974