400 Luxury buses for Jaipur

There is one good news for jaipurites, Jaipur City Transport Services Limited (JCTSL) finalized work order for buying 400 luxury buses. The Rs 120-crore order is bagged by Ashok Leyland. It includes 20 air-conditioned, lowfloor and semi-low floor buses. The work order has removed uncertainty over the implementation of the project. Chief minister Ashok Gehlot in his budget speech had indicated review of the project. Though the order has been placed now, BRTS operations are expected to begin by 2010. The bus manufacturers are said to have expressed their inability to deliver these busses quickly as a large number of orders have been placed by urban development departments of nearly 50 cities.

JCTSL officials are assured of an early commencement of the bus service. “The delivery of buses will be made in batches and accordingly they will be deployed. There are issues of availability but having placed the order in due time, we are hopeful that the service will be initiated by year end,” said a JCTSL official. The Union urban development ministry had earlier instructed the respective state urban development department of various states to finalise the bus purchase orders by June 30. However, owing to under supply, the deadline has been extended till December, 2009.