Controversy over use of city bus by VMSS to attend executive meeting at Kevadia

Controversy has arisen over the use of buses from the agency providing bus service in the city by the VMSS to attend the executive meeting organized by Gujarat Pradesh BJP at Kevadia Statue of Unity. Leader of opposition Ami Ravat raised the issue and demanded that if BJP leaders get free city buses to go to the Statue of Unity, then children, women and senior citizens of the city should also be provided the same facility to go to the Statue of Unity.

Ami Rawat visited Vinayak Bus Depot, the city bus service provider in the city, from Jan Mahal. She aid that before the year 2017, the corporation had a monthly income of Rs 7 to 8 lakh from city bus service. Now the corporation pays Rs 1.25 crore per month to the bus service agency at Rs 18 per km. An agreement has been reached between the bus service agency and the corporation to provide 160 buses in the city. But, currently 110 buses are running.

He further alleged that according to the agency, 110 buses are running, but she don't know how many buses actually run. This is because the monitoring of GPS is under the control of the City Command in the corporation, and have no idea how reliable this software is. The corporation spoke of the big draw ITMS. The project was worth Rs 200 crore. But, only 75 buses have the system and that also not active. The time schedule is not displayed on the buses. So what happened to the Rs 200 crore project is not known.

She further said that less than required buses are running. According to the tender, the bus should be available in 10 minutes and 30 minutes for long route. But buses are available every hour. They are protesting the same.

In these circumstances, the BJP has taken advantage of 17 buses instead of taking action. If BJP leaders take free bus service to Kevadia Karobari, we demand free bus service to senior citizens of Vadodara, children and women to go to Kevadia Statue of Unity. We are going to introduce this to the mayor. She demand an inquiry into this matter.

Opposing the allegations of Leader of the Opposition Ami Rawat, Vinayak City Bus Depot Manager Narendrasinh Rana said, "We do not have the right to set up cleanliness and bus timetable in Janmahal." We only have to provide bus service. About the 110 buses currently in operation, he added that the buses are running less due to the closure of schools and colleges. Buses are closed due to low number of passengers and closure of local trains. AC buses are closed due to Corona and hence 17 buses have been given to the corporation free of cost.