Bhubaneswar, April 29: The Odisha State Road Transport Corporation is not repairing over a hundred buses that have been off roads because of minor technical snags. Instead, the authorities seem keen to purchase new ones.

Sources said over 100 buses of the transport corporation were wallowing in neglect at different service stations across the state. “These vehicles can be repaired and used again. But, the authorities do not pay any attention to these. These buses could have been repaired at negligible cost. But the corporation officials prefer to spend a bulk amount on purchasing new vehicles,” said a member of the corporation staff.

Some of these buses with technical problems have remained off roads for more than a year. Most of these have minor glitches, such as leaked tyres and problems in brakes and engines.

An official said that the corporation owned around 390 buses. Of these, around 290 were plying on roads and the rest were lying idle because of various technical problems.

General manager of the corporation P.K. Sarangi, however, said that around 70 per cent of these buses had crossed their life span of 10 years. Buses made by Tata Motors can run well till 5.80 lakh kilometres, while Ashok Leyland buses run smoothly till 6.80 lakh kilometres.

“Once these buses cross their durability period, we normally sell them through auctions. This time, too, we will sell some of these vehicles through e-auction. We will repair the remaining ones and put back them into use,” said Sarangi.

Sarangi said 12 new buses had been added last year to the fleet. “Besides, orders for 91 more buses have been placed. While we have got only the chassis of 16 buses and have given them for total repairing, the company will provide 75 more buses with built bodies. The number of buses plying on the roads will cross 400, with the addition of these buses,” he said.