Jaipur: Commuters in Jaipur continue to rely on ageing and poorly maintained buses even as the city waits for the rollout of electric buses under the PM e-bus service scheme. Two e-buses underwent a road trial between Feb 26 and 28, raising hopes among passengers and drivers that a new fleet would soon arrive.The trial report is now submitted to the Union govt by the Central Institute of Road Transport (CIRT), but a final decision on the next steps is still awaited. Until then, the city’s public transport system remains dependent on buses that drivers say are in deteriorating condition.According to drivers, the condition of several buses currently operated by Jaipur City Transport Services Limited (JCTSL) is far from ideal. Some buses have broken steering wheels, while others have damaged flooring. In several cases, tyres are worn out, and the steps used by passengers to board the buses are broken.Drivers say they have little choice but to continue operating these vehicles. Babulal Nyangli, President of the JCTSL Drivers’ Association, said, “Around 70 buses were declared condemned last Sept and their deadline ends on March 12, but it is now being extended for another 6 months. The company continues to run these buses despite poor maintenance. There is hardly any proper inspection at the depots, yet the company receives full payment.“He added that drivers often face pressure when they raise concerns. “It becomes very difficult to drive these buses, but when we complain, we are threatened with losing our jobs. Because of this, drivers are forced to continue operating the condemned buses,” Nyangli said.Meanwhile, Narayan Singh, managing director of JCTSL, said the next stage will begin once the trial report receives approval. “CIRT submitted the trial report of the e-buses to the Union govt. After the report is approved, the process will move forward. The Union govt is procuring the buses and providing them to states under a sharing model,” he said.Singh added that once depots are handed over to operators, they will be given 6 weeks to prepare before the buses begin operations. “In the first phase, Jaipur will receive 150 buses, followed by another 164 buses in the second phase,” he said.Until the approval comes through, however, thousands of commuters in the city will continue to travel in the ageing fleet that currently keeps Jaipur’s public transport moving.
