While most of the locals appreciated the administration’s efforts to bring alternatives like electric buses to improve the public transport system in Dehradun city, they also emphasised how crucial it is to maintain the quality management of such buses by the authorities in the long run.
As per the information provided by the Dehradun Smart City Limited (DSCL), 30 electric buses are slated to be introduced in Dehradun under the Smart City project. Out of these, 22 buses will operate in the main city while the remaining eight buses with about 25 seats each will operate from the airport to the city. The 22 electric city buses would have a frequency of 15 minutes on the city routes while the eight buses will operate at the frequency of 30 minutes on the airport to the city route. The officials of DSCL are likely to conduct the first trial of the electric bus soon in Dehradun. Moreover, the administration is planning to operate an electric bus in the city, especially for women and differently-abled and therefore, only such people can participate in the first trial.
Talking about such buses, local resident Vishal Singh said that many people would choose public transport if the government could make public transport safe and comfortable. “I like to travel in public transport but there is nothing enjoyable in public transport options we have here in the city. The unhygienic condition and the loud conductors making the city buses overcrowded do not make anybody a fan of their service. It would be quite beneficial for the environment as well as for locals if such electric buses become a success in Dehradun,” said Singh.
A differently-abled local resident Rajat Bohra said that the officials might introduce the electric buses in the city but it might be difficult for them to maintain the standard of the buses as the better transport alternative in the city among the locals. “The government bodies introduce various plans and initiatives but maintaining their quality service becomes a challenge for them. We already have local transport system but I don’t think the government pays any attention to what their condition is and how a local travels in them. Still, if they can provide and maintain better transport facilities with these electric buses then people like me will surely prefer to travel in them,” said Bohra. Meanwhile, some women opined it is not necessary to have a separate bus only for women, while others said that it would be better if the buses would operate for women during the late evening rather than the whole day. “I do not think that women would need a separate bus just for them if the drivers would stop overcrowding the bus because most of the nuisance for women is created in the overcrowded buses. Unless the DSCL is planning to overload the buses with passengers too, there is no need for a separate bus,” said a Dharmpur resident Ekta Khansali. Another resident Kajal Rastogi said that the authorities should operate a separate bus for senior citizens and differently-abled including those accompanying them in their journey. “Healthy women can travel alone during the day if the buses are not overcrowded. The differently-abled people and senior citizens should be given preference. However, the women would benefit from the buses which would operate till late evening especially for them,” said Rastogi.
Successful operation of electric buses difficult with illegally plying Vikrams: Dandriyal
Regarding the operation of the electric buses in Dehradun, the president of Dehradun Mahanagar City Bus Seva Mahasangh, Vijay Vardhan Dandriyal said that the operation of such buses will not be a complete success in the city as long as Vikram operators continue to run their vehicles illegally here. He said that rather than waiting for passengers at the stands, the Vikram operators pick passengers from anywhere on their designated routes. The passengers have also become habituated to this routine and rather than waiting for a bus or three-wheeler vehicles at fixed stops, they wait in between the routes, said Dandriyal. He asserted that it would be difficult to operate these buses unless the authorities stop such illegal operations in the city.
Tuesday, 01 December 2020 | PNS | Dehradun
