Srinagar, 20-Sep: Jammu & Kashmir Road Transport Corporation (JKRTC) has a major expansion of its existing fleet with addition of more than 500 new buses and trucks in phased manner as part restructuring plan to make once ‘bankrupt’ corporation a profitable enterprise.According to the officials in JKRTC, Last year after launching 12-online services and e-Book of Transport Department, the Lt Governor Manoj Sinha had highlighted key measures initiated by the UT administration in strengthening the transport sector.Those included targets by March 2021 to add 44 seater semi-deluxe buses, 20 seater deluxe buses, sleeper coaches and trucks to the fleet.250 each to Jammu and Kashmir. However, the same missed its target and is supposed to get operated within a week in valley.Speaking to CNS, JKRTC M.D, Angreez singh Rana said that out of 500 vehicles, 95 buses have reached UT and are expected to get operated within a week as the registration of these vehicles is underway. The procured vehicles include 48 air-conditioned vehicles.“We are receiving complete support of the UT government to transform the existing structure of the corporation. The reforms were pending for years. Old vehicles under the plan discussed with the government will be replaced and new vehicles will be on roads within a week”,Rana added These buses are supposed to operate throughout the length and breadth of the each district of the valley for which plans are being formulated by the concerned officials in UT. Earlier,Lt Governor has entrusted upon J&K Road Transport Corporation the expansion of their fleet of buses in hope that the government-run buses traverse 20 lakh kms every month, increasing from its present average of 15 lakh kms a month.It is pertinent to mention here that starting its operation with a fleet of 50 buses after it was established in 1948 as Government Transport Undertaking in erstwhile J&K state, corporation was once a dominant player in public transport.But years of mismanagement and corruption during 1980’s and 1990s led to its decline bringing it to brink of bankruptcy. (CNS)
