Three-Month Extension Averts Commuter Disruption
Vadodara: City bus services in Vadodara came to a sudden halt on Wednesday after the private operator withdrew over an expired contract, briefly stranding commuters before the VMC stepped in with a three-month extension, restoring services within hours amid the ongoing shift to electric buses.The operator announced it would stop running buses after its contract with the Vadodara Municipal Corporation expired on June 30 and no extension had been granted. Services resumed within a couple of hours after the civic body extended the contract by three months.Sources said this is not the first time the operator threatened to suspend services over contract issues. The latest episode comes as the city’s public transport network undergoes a transition with the rollout of electric buses under the Centre’s PM E-Bus Sewa scheme, which may eventually replace the current operator.The uncertainty caused concern among commuters, especially after the VMC recently launched the first batch of 30 air-conditioned electric buses. The buses were flagged off during the inaugural session of the Vibrant Gujarat Regional Conference in the city and offer a cleaner, quieter and more comfortable mode of travel.Civic officials said the first phase of the project will include 50 electric buses, of which 30 are on the roads while 20 are expected soon. The second and third phases will add 100 buses each, taking the total fleet to 250 electric buses. The private operator currently runs about 130 buses.The VMC operates the e-bus service through Vadodara Green Mobility Vehicle Ltd, a special purpose vehicle set up by the civic body, while JBM has been tasked with supplying the buses and drivers.
