28 May 2022  |   06:39am IST

An electric shock: KTCL pays 72L in excess to run 50 buses

All Goa Private Bus Owners Association asks if electric buses cheaper than fuel-run ones

Team Herald


PANJIM: The All Goa Private Bus Owners Association (AGPBOA) has alleged that the Kadamba Transport Corporation Limited (KTCL) management signed an agreement with M/s Evey Trans Pvt Ltd from Hyderabad to operate electric buses and paid more than Rs 5.91 crore to the company for last eight months than the total collection of over Rs 5.18 crore.

Speaking to reporters, AGPBOA General Secretary Sudip Tamhankar said that the KTC management collected Rs 5,18,97,942.86 by running 50 electric buses from April 2021 to March 2022 and paid Rs 5,91,80,387.27 to the company for eight months. Thus the company received Rs 72, 82,445 in excess.

“I challenge the government to prove whether these electric buses are purchased from Central funds. I have obtained information under Right to Information (RTI) Act, which shows that buses belong to M/s Evey Trans Pvt Ltd, Hyderabad,” Tamhankar claimed.

According to Tamhankar, the KTC management is paying the Hyderabad company Rs 75.87 per kilometre to operate electric buses while the private bus operators were struggling to give their buses on hire for marriages and picnics at Rs 50 per km. Also for the KTC conventional buses, it is Rs 56 per km while it is paying Rs 75.87 per km to Hyderabad company. 

“Are electric buses cheaper than fuel-run buses and will it be economical when the government is trying to transform all fleet of KTC buses to electric buses,” Tamhankar asked.

He further said that though the Panjim-Mapusa route fare is Rs 20 per passenger, the KTC buses are charging Rs 17 per head than the regular fare of Rs 20 in a bid to attract passengers and compete with the private bus operators.

When contacted, KTCL General Manager Sanjay Ghate said that the corporation has signed a contract with M/s Evey Trans Pvt Ltd, Hyderabad for a period of 10 years after which all the electric buses will be the property of the KTCL. 

He said that except conductors, the salary of drivers, charging stations and maintenance cost is borne by the contractor.

Ghate also clarified that the decision to pay the company Rs 75.87 per kilometre is based on the calculation by the Central Institute for Road Transport (CIRT), Pune. The calculated coast was later approved by the State government, who also agreed to provide gap funding in order to provide better public transport service to the people.


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