Launched after a wait of five years, the operation of the first lot of 20 city service buses under the centrally sponsored Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) that started on August 14, is facing trouble.

In less than a month of its launch, the agitating autorickshaw drivers at different places in the city attacked three such buses in the past two days. The situation turned so worse that the operation of the buses had to be stopped on Thursday. Senior officials in Bihar Urban Infrastructure Development Corporation (BUIDCo), the agency running the buses, said it was only after sending a written complaint in this regard to the district administration and Patna police that the operation of the buses was resumed on Friday.

Bus attack

September 3, Wednesday: The driver of a JNNURM city service bus (BR 01 PF-0457) was attacked by some protesting autorickshaw drivers near Patna zoo. The drivers hit the head of their bus counterpart using screwdrivers and they even took away all his money collected from ticket sales.

September 4, Thursday: The autorickshaw drivers smashed the windowpanes of three JNNURM buses — BR 01 PF- 0466, BR01 PF- 0469 and BR01 PF- 0470. All three incidents happened on the Gandhi Maidan-Danapur route via Kurji.

Hidden intentions

The operator running the JNNURM buses claimed that these buses are being specifically targeted by the autorickshaw drivers in the name of their strike because other private city bus services, such as the dilapidated yellow mini buses, have not been touched.

Sources said since the commencement of operation, the JNNURM buses are being preferred by a large number of commuters in the city, and that is the reason why other public transport operators are envious of it.

“We are being harassed by the autorickshaw drivers, especially in Danapur, right from the start of operation of the buses. The errant autorickshaw drivers have manhandled several drivers. After the attack on three of our buses on the Danapur-Digha route, we had to replace the windscreen, each costing Rs 6,000 immediately. Thanks to an assurance from the police thereafter, we have resumed the operations from Friday,” said Vishal Singh, the general manager (operations), of AB Grain Spirits Pvt Ltd, the transport wing of Delhi firm, Adie Broswon. It was selected by BUIDCo for looking after the operations of the buses.

Administrationspeak

The attack on the JNNURM buses is a serious case of damage to public property. Accordingly, several FIRs have been lodged and some culprits have also been arrested with regard to these incidents

Manish Kumar Verma

Patna district magistrate

We have assured the managing director of BUIDCo that all steps for security of their buses are being taken. All traffic inspectors and mobile patrolling vans have been asked to keep a strict vigil on nuisance-creating auto drivers following Thursday’s incident

Lalan Mohan Jha

Deputy superintendent of police-traffic and in-charge traffic SP-Patna

At present, only 20 buses under the JNNURM city service buses are running and the permit for another 20 buses are expected to be issued in a day or two. We have targeted to run 100 buses in the city by the end of this month. However, it would be difficult to operate the buses when the vehicles and the staff are being attacked frequently

Senior BUIDCo official

Residentsspeak

I have stayed in Delhi for eight years and I have seen how JNNURM buses run without any trouble. In case of Patna, it is a matter of shame for the authorities that when finally these buses are running in the city after a delay of five years, then, too, they are not able to provide security. These buses should be properly protected as no one wants to travel in the rickety yellow mini buses nor face the harrowing experience of the reckless autorickshaw rides.

Piyush Shahi

New Dakbungalow Road resident

Strike update

By Friday evening, Patna Zila Auto Chalak Sangh withdrew the strike. Chunnu Singh, the president of the union informed that around 7,000 autorickshaws under it would start running on the city streets from Saturday. Auto Men’s Union, Bihar, would continue with the strike on Saturday. Subodh Kumar, the president of the union, said their 5,000 autorickshaws would continue to remain off the streets.