The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : “Rising fuel cost hits transport corporations”

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Thursday, May 29, 2008
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

“Rising fuel cost hits transport corporations”

Special Correspondent

Chief Minister is against increasing bus fares in the interest of public, says K.N. Nehru

CHENNAI: Mounting fuel cost affecting the working of the State transport corporations, said Transport Minister K.N. Nehru here on Wednesday.

Distributing awards to the drivers of the State Express Transport Corporation for their accident-free record, the Minister said that earlier the increase in diesel price was a few paise, which the corporations were able to absorb. Now the increase was steep making it difficult for the corporations to absorb.

Despite the increase in operational cost, the Chief Minister was against increasing bus fares in the interest of travelling public. Though there were suggestions for closing the SETC itself for its poor performance, the government did not accept them.

Appealing to SETC workers to maintain the buses properly and work for improving the operating ratio, the Minister said nearly 400 buses out of a total fleet strength of 600 were in poor condition. Though the government was replacing old buses with ultra deluxe buses every year, the workers were responsible for their maintenance. In the current financial year, 200 new ultra deluxe buses would be pressed into service.

The Minister said that there was good scope for improving the daily collection of the Corporation. At present, the daily revenue was Rs 90 lakh during normal days and Rs 1.1 crore during the season. It could be improved further and cited the example of the metro transport corporation, whose daily collection improved from Rs 91 lakh to Rs 1.72 crore. He regretted that some corporation officials themselves were acting as “brokers” for private and omni buses, affecting the corporation’s daily collection.

Rise in accidents

Debendranath Sarangi, Secretary, Transport Department, expressed concern over the increase in accidents of corporation buses. As against 606 accidents in 2006-07, it was 743 in the last financial year.

He assured them that the government was ready to provide all facilities to the employees for safe running of buses. Complementing the award winners for their accident-free record, the Secretary wanted all drivers to emulate the winners.

SETC managing director B.K. Vaikuntavasan in his welcome address said that in the current financial year 250 new buses would be introduced with the financial assistance from the State.

The Corporation was paying Rs 60 lakh per month as compensation to accident victims. This could be reduced if the drivers were careful in operating the buses.

About 1,700 employees of the corporation were given a cash prize totalling Rs 7.88 lakh for accident-free record.

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