Transport Department of Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) handed over the revised Budget for the year 2021-22 and proposed budget for year 2022-23 to Chairperson, Transport Committee, Jitendra Kukde on Tuesday. In the revised annual Budget estimates for 2021-22, the revenue is pegged at Rs 178.08 crore and the expenditure is expected to be Rs 177.90 crore. A meeting of the Transport Committee was held through video conferencing. Transport Manager Ravindra Bhelave presented the budget to the committee. Bhelave said in a statement that a separate head has been set up under the name of ‘City Transport Fund’ for the operation of transport services as well as ‘Revenue Reserve Fund’ to utilise the surplus revenue and ‘Transport Improvement Fund’ has also been set up. The prevalence of Covid-19 is constant and the number of daily passengers of our buses is approximately 71,000 and 4600 trips of buses are running daily.

 

At present, a total of 361 buses are in operation, including 172 diesel, CNG standard buses, 141 midi buses, 42 mini buses and 6 women’s Tejaswini buses on electric. Nagpur Smart and Sustainable City Development Corporation Limited will add 15 electric midi buses to its fleet. Under the 15th Finance Commission, for year 2020-21 Rs 51.68 crore, for year 2021-22 Rs. 25.84 crores, thus total of Rs 77.62 crore has been sanctioned and for year 2022-23 Rs 27.40 crores are earmarked. Thus total Rs 104.92 crore are put aside of which Rs 8 crore are sanctioned for new depot at Wathoda and Rs 96.92 crore for purchases of electric buses. It is proposed to procure 233 MIDI buses out of 104.92 crore by 2022-23 and out of Rs 77.52 crore received by 2021-22, 115 electric buses will be procured on lease in the first phase. It is proposed to procure about 100 electric buses from the funds received in the second phase. Out of this in the year 2022-23, 50 per cent electric buses will run on the roads in Nagpur city for the service of citizens through ‘Aapli Bus’, said Bhelave.

 

Bhelave further informed that Rs 145 crore has been demanded for the year 2022-23. He said that out of the Rs 108 crore grant received from NMC so far, Rs 37 crore more funds are required and Rs 145 crore is being demanded in the budget of 2022-23. NMC has received approval from the Central Government for 100 electric aces. Considering the daily losses incurred in the city bus service, 40 electric midi buses are being procured immediately. Out of 40 midi buses, 15 buses will enter the city bus service by March 2022. So far 70 diesel buses have been converted to CNG and it is planned to provide more bus services as required on congested routes. Committee Members Rupa Rai, Sonali Kadu, Member Nitin Sathwane, Nagesh Mankar and Sheshrao Gotmare, Administrative Officer Ravindra Pagey, Labor and Public Relations Officer Arun Pimprude, Deputy Civil Engineer Kedar Mishra, Mechanical Engineer Yogendra Lunge etc. were present in person while other members Rajesh Ghodpage, Visakha Bante, Rupali Thakur joined through video conferencing.