JnNURM buses make debut in city
Posers raised on suitability on present road condition
Source: Hueiyen News Service

Imphal, February 23 2012: After the blanket ban imposed on entry of all sort of motor-vehicles in Paona and Thangal Bazar areas of Khwairamband market purportedly to ease traffic congestion, transportation service of two semi-low floor buses provided under Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewable Mission (JnNURM) through the restricted market areas has begun from today on a trial basis for one month.

Despite the reported 'public euphoria' over the new bus service, posers have been raised over the suitability of the newly launched 650 mm size semi-low floor buses on the present road condition of Imphal.

The Ministry of Urban Development, Government of India launched JnNURM in 2005 with an aim to encourage urban level reforms and fast tract planned infrastructures development of identified 'mission cities'.

Imphal is one of the 65 mission cities identified under the project with special consideration on urban traffic condition, depleting transport services and the impact of road condition to the urban environment.

The project seeks to reduce travel demand of the office goers and industrial workers from rural areas to the urban areas.

That is why; there is no space for carrying luggages in the buses provided.

The service of the two semi-low floor buses, which began from today, was flagged off by Commissioner of MAHUD, Government of Manipur S Sunderlal Singh from in front of GM Hall.

Including the Commissioner himself, other officials of MAHUD, Traffic and Transport Department boarded in the two buses on their maiden run to inspection any possible hiccup and observed the reaction of the public who were given free inaugural ride.

Later talking to mediapersons, Sunderlal maintained that the response of the public to the newly introduced bus service was positive.

"We have made necessary arrangement for increasing the number of semi-low floor buses, if the public response remained positive", he assured.

Interestingly, two buses would carry out service to and fro daily from Keishampat Bridge to the traffic island of Lilashing Khongnangkhong at Thangmeiband via Paona Bazar and Thangal Bazar area where a new traffic rule banning entry of any motor-vehicle has been imposed purportedly to ease traffic congestion along with issuing of an order by the state government recently.

There would be in all five stations along the stretch of Paona Bazar road and six stations along the road stretch of Thangal Bazar to facilitate dropping and picking up of passengers.

Even though public were given free ride on the first day of launching the service of two semi-low floor buses, it is said that a minimum fare of Rs 5 would be charged from every passenger from tomorrow.

Even though the response of the public over the new bus service is claimed to have been nothing short of euphoric, posers have raised over the suitability of plying 650 mm size semi-low floor buses on the existing roads of Imphal city.

Apart from the difficulty in negotiating the buses at road junctures, the narrowness of the existing roads and the space occupied by the medium- sized JnNRUM buses caused traffic snarl behind while dropping or picking up passengers at many points.

Depending on their sizes and specifications, there are six types of semi-low floor buses for sanctioning under JnNRUM to the identified mission cities.

The six types are 900/850 mm, 650 mm, 650 mm AC, 400 mm AC and Mini/Midi.

In all twenty-five 650 mm (medium size) semi-low floor buses have been sanctioned to Manipur at a total estimated cost of Rs 6.75 crores.

The financing pattern for procurement of these buses in Northeastern states including Manipur is 90:10 .

Questions have been raised why the government of Manipur has opted for the medium-sized buses without any consideration over the existing condition of roads in Imphal city, which would have been more suitable for Mini-Midi-sized buses and the number of fleet sanctioned could have been increased, thus leading to a corresponding increase in the frequency of buses to be plied on the road.

In this regard, other Northeastern states like Meghalaya, Tripura and Nagaland have been more wiser in opting for Mini-Midi buses.

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