Atal Transport to spread wings to Bhopal, other cities

INDORE: The Atal Indore City Transport Company Limited (AICTL) has decided to start bus services to Bhopal and the district headquarters Burhanpur, Khandwa, Khargone and Dhar. This, after AICTL has consolidated its operations and strengthened its network in and around Indore.
This is the first pilot project of the country to be introduced on PPP model, AICTL has become the backbone of public transport in the city.
“In the forthcoming board meeting of AICTL, which is going to be held shortly, a proposal will be put forth for approval to start bus services to Bhopal and district headquarters Burhanpur, Khandwa, Khargone and Dhar,” said Gautam Singh, Chief Executive of AICTL.
“The bus services would also be extended to sub-urban Gautampura. In the forthcoming board meeting of AICTL a proposal will be put forth for approval to start bus services to Bhopal and nearby districts," he added.
District Collector Raghvendra Singh and RTO Pawan Jain had strongly advocated the need for providing these facilities.
“The main objective behind introducing the services are--- better services to passengers and to break the monopoly of private operators, who after the MPSRTC closure have been operating on their whims and fancies,” Singh said.
About four years, the AICTL had successfully broke the monopoly of private taxis by introducing city cab services, and today in city, their cabs are in high demand.
According to the proposal, at initial stage, the AICTL will run four buses at a time between Indore and Dhar, Khandwa, Khargone, and Burhanpur. These buses will be operated on PPP basis. The AICTL will invite bids from private operators, and would award the contract to the highest bidder.
The buses will be that of operators, but the fare will be decided by the AICTL. For Bhopal, the buses would be non-AC, but would have better facilities that the present private buses.
“The main objective of running non-AC buses is not tax the passengers, but at the same time give them the comforts of a private bus,” he said adding that these buses would be 2X2 and a bit larger than the present buses. In consultation with technical experts, the AICTL will short-list the buses that have to run up to district headquarters.
According to RTO Pawan Jain, as soon as AICTL approves the proposal, we will allot permits. The district headquarters which would soon be connected with Indore in the first phase are within a range of 60 to 200 km. While in second phase, the services would be extended jup to Jhabua and Barwani district headquarters.