An air-conditioned Volvo. (PTI file picture)

Ranchi, Feb. 8: The formation of the Jharkhand State Road Transport Corporation (JSRTC) can wait but not the purchase of Volvo buses.

According to state transport minister Anosh Ekka, the state-of-the-art buses will eventually ply on all routes in the state.

And what about the JSRTC, which has been pending for the last five years.

?The department will need allocation of funds from the budget for shaping up a new corporation,? the minister tried to explain.

For those who were wondering why the state government would purchase Volvo buses, each costing Rs 45-50 lakh, when it claimed not to have money for forming the corporation, Ekka had a simple logic.

?The owners of the private buses plying across the state charge a lot of money from the poor passengers. Every person has a dream of travelling in an aeroplane.

?But due to monetary problems, only a few can afford it. These buses will be for people who have not experienced the luxuries of life. The fare will be very economical and everyone will be able to afford it,? Ekka offered.

He, however, could not say for sure how many Volvo buses would be bought by the state. ?The latest technology allows the bus to use the exhaust as power. Then it has got a turbo-charged engine and hydraulic suspension,? the minister added quickly as if to defend the decision.

According to the sources, the first phase could see as many as 10 Volvo buses plying in different directions of the state.

?We are not going to close down the state buses. But then, slowly, the Volvo buses will be replacing them. The best thing about these buses will be the economical fare. And it is needless to say that travelling in these buses is a pleasant experience,? Ekka reiterated.

Would that mean the JSRTC had taken a backseat.

?There are a lot of formalities to be completed and things that need to be taken into account for this.

?First, we would need a lot of funds in order to form our own corporation. And the state government should actually earmark the funds from the budget for this. If we do not get funds, how can we complete the task?? the minister asked.

As if the explanation was not enough, he added, ?Formation of any corporation is not that easy. Our corporation will be one of the best in the country with a proper infrastructure. I have already talked this thing out with the chief minister,? he said.