Nagpur: On the lines of eco-friendly city bus projects in Nagpur, Goa and Thane, an amphibious bus project in association with Swedish bus maker
Scania appears to have sunk. Citing inordinate delays in delivering the bus, Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (
JNPT) has reportedly issued termination notice to Scania a few days ago.
City MP and Union minister for road transport, highways and shipping Nitin Gadkari had announced the project in January 2015 after launch of pilot project of Green City Bus project (ethanol-run buses) in the city. Scania was involved in both projects.
Gadkari had proposed amphibious bus project through JNPT, which falls under his shipping ministry. Accordingly, JNPT had entered into an agreement with Scania to get the bus that could run on water as well as road under its corporate social responsibility (CSR).
JNPT officials told TOI the JNPT board, in association with shipping ministry, will decide whether to continue the proposed project with another company or halt it. “We issued work order to Scania to supply the bus. Scania was supposed to give us the bus a year ago. Scania even brought the bus into India in February last year, and parked it at its establishment at Bhiwandi. However, Scania did not hand over the bus after necessary procedures, and the company is not responding to our letters. Therefore, we have terminated the contract,” he said.
JNPT had issued work order to the company in March 2015 and was supposed to get the bus costing Rs4.50 crore within six months. JNPT extended the deadline by one year followed by another extension till January this year.
JNPT official added Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation was ready to operate and maintain the project. “Earlier, the plan was to operate and maintain the project through Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC). An MoU was executed between JNPT and MTDC to run the bus in the sea at Navi Mumbai. Tendering process to appoint a private operator for running and maintaining the bus was also initiated. But all this was useless since we did not get the bus,” he said.
Pointing out that only 0.3% people use water transport in India, Gadkari had planned to replicate the amphibious bus project in other parts of the state and country after the project at Navi Mumbai.
TOI had reported that Scania has shut down its Karnataka-based ethanol-run and premium bus building manufacturing unit, stopped eco-friendly city bus project in Goa, abandoned similar proposed project in Thane, and issued termination notice to Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) that 25 ethanol buses will be taken off the roads from August 12.
Peep Into Scania’s Other Projects
Nagpur: Pilot project of ethanol-run bus launched in association with NMC and MoRTH in August 2014 with one bus. Plan was to rope in five buses but pilot project ended up with only one. Company was selected as Green Bus Operator to operate 55 ethanol-run and 25 bio-gas buses. Company roped in only 25 Green buses. Recently, termination notice issued to NMC stating all buses will be taken off roads from August 12. Also, company was to set up bio-gas plant, which never materialized. Company assured to set up bus manufacturing plant, which too did not come up
Goa: Plan was to set up bio-gas plant and run 70 bio-gas buses and 60 ethanol buses. Company started operation of two ethanol-run and one bio-gas bus on August 15, 2017, but discontinued three months ago
Thane: Company, in association with Pune-based Travel Time, got contract for running 50 eco-friendly buses but the project could not see the light of the day till date
Noida and Chhattisgarh: Company initiated talks with local self governing bodies and state governments for eco-friendly city buses but abandoned projects
Karnataka: Company set up manufacturing units for trucks, and ethanol-run and premium buses at Narasapura Industrial Area. Bus body building unit shut down some months ago
THE GREEN BUS