Imphal, June 22 2017: MST, earlier known as Manipur State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) was abolished in 2003.However, the new coalition Government has been working to re-introduce a public transport system since sometime back .
As of now, MST buses would be operated by Transport Department before it is outsourced to private operators under public-private partnership (PPP) model, Lakshmikumar said .
Altogether 10 buses have been readied for launching city bus service and inter-district bus service.
These buses would ply on 14 different routes .
Passengers would be given free rides on the day of launching the bus services, informed the Transport Commissioner .
Saying that the Transport Department has worked out the fare structure of the MST bus services, Lakshmikumar informed that city buses would be operating on two routes from ISBT Khuman Lampak and another two routes from MSRTC complex, Moirangkhom .
Semi-low floor bus service between Imphal and Yairipok via Thoubal and Charangpat, Imphal-Kakching and Imphal-Moirang would also be launched by the Chief Minister on June 25 .
Imphal-Moreh and Imphal-Pherzawl bus services would be launched on the same day.
As for Imphal-Pherzawl route, the bus service would be limited to selected days of a week .
The Government would purchase 150 buses in three phases in order to re-activate MST, the Commissioner said .
Maintaining that the Government has been paying due attention to road safety, Lakshmikumar said that issuance of driving licences manually has been stopped .
During a recent drive, Transport Department detected 494 fake driving licences and these cases are being investigated by CID (Crime Branch).
Some people/drivers are using fake driving licences purportedly issued by the Government of Assam.
On being enquired about the inconveniences caused by diesel autos operating in and around Imphal city and the noise pollution they have been creating, Lakshmikumar claimed that most of the diesel autos have been tested and the level of pollution caused by them is below permissible limit.
To another query about possible traffic jams that may be caused by city bus service, Transport Director C Arthur said that Traffic Inspectors would be stationed at congested places and maximum efforts would be invested to avoid public inconveniences.
Source: The Sangai Express
