Relief: Rajasmand Depot Gets Buses After 8 Years
Rajasmand: After a long wait of eight years, Rajasmand Depot has finally received buses. Although only one bus has arrived, another is expected to arrive on Friday.
The buses will be operational in the next two to four days after the fast tags are prepared. However, the depot requires 25 more buses to function smoothly, as most of the existing buses have completed over 8 lakh kilometres and are now in the condemned category.
The Rajasthan Roadways Corporation's buses cater to thousands of passengers daily. Currently, 27 buses are operational at the Rajasmand Depot.
No new buses have been purchased by the Roadways Corporation since 2017. After the BJP government came to power in the state, an announcement was made to purchase new buses in the budget.
Under this, two buses were allotted to the depot, one of which arrived on Wednesday and underwent puja and other rituals. Another bus is expected to arrive on Friday.
The depot requires 25 more buses to function smoothly. Until then, the depot's operations will remain challenging. Notably, a demand for 25 buses has been sent to the headquarters. Due to the shortage of buses, the daily operational kilometres have decreased from 23,000 to 12,000-13,000 kilometres.
17 Buses to be Condemned in Three Months
According to the Roadways management, 17 buses will be condemned in three months, i.e., in 2025. The depot has 17 buses of the 2017 model, 2 buses of the 2020 model, and 12 buses of the 2013 model. As per the Roadways rules, buses that have completed eight years or 8 lakh kilometres are considered condemned and taken off the route. Most buses at the Rajasmand Depot have completed 12-13 lakh kilometres. The 2017 model buses have also completed over 8 lakh kilometres.
Depot Operations Becoming Challenging
The Rajasmand Depot is facing difficulties in operations due to the old age of most buses and the lack of spare parts. The situation is such that one or two buses break down daily, making it uncertain whether they will reach their destination. This is causing inconvenience to passengers.
New Buses to be Operational Soon
"The Rajasmand Depot has received two new buses, one of which has arrived, and the other is expected to arrive on Friday. The application for fast tags has been submitted, and once received, the buses will be operational. A demand for 25 buses has been sent to the headquarters," says Mahesh Upadhyay, Chief Manager, Rajasmand Depot.
