STAFF REPORTER
GUWAHATI: The State Government has now decided to lease out the operation of electric buses under ASTC (Assam State Transport Corporation). Recently, ASTC decided to lease out the off-road, reparable old buses.
The government is taking such decisions to prevent the loss-making corporation from incurring further losses.
According to sources, ASTC is set to get 200 electric buses in two phases, 100 in each phase, under the Guwahati Smart City Project. The electric buses will run within Guwahati city and its adjoining sub-urban areas. The government has now decided not to allow ASTC to run the buses as the corporation does not have adequate manpower and the VRS (voluntary retirement process) process is underway. The government also acknowledges that ASTC may incur more losses if it operates the fleet of 200 electric buses on its own.
As per the decision of the state government, ASTC will lease out the first fleet of 100 electric buses to private parties on the basis of H1 (the highest bidder). Of course, such buses will not go to individual bidders. Only experienced firms or transport companies can take part in the bidding.
ASTC got a fleet of 100 CNG buses recently under the Guwahati Smart City Project. The buses run in the metropolitan area and nearby areas. In 2021–22, ASTC earned around Rs 80 crore as compared to an expenditure of around Rs 186 crore, including Rs 110 crore on salary alone. Thus, the corporation seems to be a liability, not an asset.
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