Hope of AC buses hitting road fades

SAMBALPUR:   The hope of plying of air-conditioned (AC) buses under the city bus service in Sambalpur seems set to fizzle out. Though Request for Proposal (RFP) for procurement of four AC buses was invited by Western Odisha Urban Transport Services Limited (WOUTSL) thrice, the WOUTSL, which is the apex body of the city bus service, failed to attract bidders. The objective behind running of AC buses is to make travelling by bus pleasant, particularly during summer and promote comfortable public transport. The four AC buses were proposed to run from Bargarh to Jharsuguda via Sambalpur. As per reports, the Housing and Urban Development department had sanctioned ` 5 crore for procurement of 20 city buses, including four AC buses, 12 non-AC buses and four mini-buses.

The RFP was invited for procurement of the buses in January last year. While the RFP for procurement of 12 non-AC buses got response and were procured, the proposal for the procurement of four AC buses received only a single bid and the RFP for four mini buses did not find any bidder. Later in March last year, the WOUTSL invited RFP for procurement of four AC buses and equal number of mini-buses again but did not get any response from bidders. Subsequently, the RFP for procurement of AC buses and minibuses was invited in December last year.

The RFP for the procurement of AC buses found response from a single bidder while the RFP for mini buses did not get response from any bidder, fading out all hopes of plying of AC buses. The city bus service was launched in Sambalpur on January 29, 2014. Presently, 34 buses are plying in 13 different routes. The buses are providing services to the periphery of Sambalpur city besides neighbouring Bargarh and Jharsuguda towns. Commuters face harrowing time while travelling in ordinary buses in the region during summer when the temperature rises close to 48 degree Celsius.

The commuters could have benefited with the plying of AC buses during summer. Commissioner of Sambalpur Municipal Corporation, Bimalendu Ray, who is also the Chief Executive Officer of WOUTSL, said they are yet to take any decision on whether to cancel the single bid and invite fresh RFP for procurement of AC buses. The decision on the matter would be taken in the board meeting of the WOUTSL, he added.