NAGPUR: City MP and union minister Nitin Gadkari is planning to induct more buses into city services, including ethanol-run eco friendly buses. The central government will prepare the detailed project report (DPR) and is likely to sanction buses in three or four phases.

Gadkari organized a meeting at short notice between officials and office bearers of Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC), ministry of road transport and highways, and ministry of urban development at New Delhi on Tuesday.

Mayor Pravin Datke, municipal commissioner Shyam Wardhane, standing committee chairman Narendra Borkar and chairman of city transport committee Sudhir Raut rushed to New Delhi to attend the meeting. Surprisingly, NMC officials and office bearers maintained secrecy about the discussions and decisions taken in the meeting.

NMC sources told TOI Gadkari expressed a wish to achieve the target set in city mobility plan. “NMC had proposed to operate over 1,000 buses in city mobility plan. Total 470 buses are available currently. Another 200 buses will be brought in by the proposed second operator Sai Taj Krupa Services Private Ltd. NMC had prepared DPR proposing to procure 200 new buses. The remaining buses are likely to be sanctioned by the government. Ethanol-run buses will also be added to the fleet of buses,” sources said.

The officials of Starbus operator Vansh Nimay Infraprojects Private Ltd and Swedish-bus maker Scania Commercial Vehicles India Limited were also present in the meeting. The presence of VNIL officials raised eyebrows.

The city transport committee had approved a proposal to appoint Sai Taj Krupa Bus Services Private Ltd , a consortium of four travel agencies, as second bus operator in a meeting few days ago. The agreement to be signed between the civic body and Sai Taj Krupa will be tabled before the general body for approval followed by execution of the agreement.

VNIL and new operator will run the city bus service simultaneously for some time. Once set, Sai Taj Krupa will be given the responsibility to run all 670 buses; NMC’s 470 and its own 200 new buses. VNIL will be ousted from the service. NMC has already issued final termination notice to VNIL.

