Agartala, Sept 13 (TIWN):Under Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JnNURM)project, sanctioned fund to procure 175 buses for the capital city Agartala. Around hundred buses already hit the road. The problem of commuters still remains, after waiting for hours there is no sign of buses. Unwilling they have to use auto – rickshaws. Here the government has no control of fares charged from passengers.

Under JNURM project state was given Rs 14 crore 21 lakh 62 thousand in first phase. By this 75 buses were procured. Later to procure 100 buses Rs 12 crore 19 lakh was given. The amount was sanctioned under 90 :10 ratio.

A total of 175 buses ply in the capital. Hundred buses have already hit the road. But the question asked by commuters where are the buses. Even after waiting for hours in bus stop there is no sight of buses. If so many buses are plying in the city, than after five minutes to ten minutes buses would have come in the bus stops.

If the bus service was planned well, than  wards of the Agartala Municipal Corporation could have been covered. Even after getting so many buses from centre, the government cannot tell the names of  routes where hundred buses are plying. Commuters have no knowledge of bus schedule, they opt other vehicles by paying more fares.

The buses are   given to ply in the capital and outskirt areas. But they are used for long distance travel. The reason given that city dwellers do not board buses. If they do not board buses why the buses were procured by spending crores. Does the capital have space to run the buses? The capital has vehicles more than its capacity. Traffic jam is common feature nowadays. There is no space to run the 175 buses in the capital. The government should have pondered on the issue before procuring the buses.