State-owned Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation (BRTC) was suffering losses by operating its articulated bus service in the capital due to an increase in operational costs, sources said.
Within three years of plying, they said, the buses imported from India under its first line of credit (LoC) couldn't provide service as expected due to the need for light to heavy repairs.
Trip of this special type of buses has also decreased for lack of space on the streets and overcrowded public bus routes, they added.
The BRTC which bought these buses had to send 10-15 buses for light to heavy repairs almost every month during last six months.
In some cases, repair cost of the twin-body buses has been found costly for the corporation doubling its operational costs. The pivoting belt used to join the two bodies of the articulated buses has been needed for a bus which costs the BRTC Tk 3.5 million.
In the last six months, the corporation suffered a loss of Tk 4.11 million with running of articulated bus service.
According to the data available with Gazipur depot where all 47 articulated buses are kept, Tk 29.39 million was spent to run 35 buses on an average from May to October, but Tk 25.27 million was earned from the service during the period.
The highest loss in operation of the service was posted in September when Gazipur depot spent Tk 6.4 million, but earned Tk 2.8 million. In October, the BRTC could earn only Tk 82,000.
Although the BRTC record shows that some 47 articulated buses ran in October, Gazipur depot data shows that the number was 37.
The BRTC introduced articulated bus service in February 2013 to provide city commuters with better service. It was expected that the twin-body buses would help ease traffic congestion with carrying 120 passengers on each vehicle, but these buses caused a severe problem with movement of other transports.
The experts said such a kind of buses is introduced on the streets which are wide and straight and where discipline is maintained.
The buses - 54 feet in length and 11 feet in height - also face trouble to take turn in the congested city. City commuters were, however, happy with buses for running slowly and having comparatively better seating arrangements than other Indian buses.
Initially, BRTC launched articulated bus service on four routes from Gazipur depot, sources said. But it could not continue with service for long due to decrease in trips.
More than one trip is hardly managed now, said a person involved with the Gazipur depot.
Earlier, BRTC imported some 300 Chinese buses at lowest-ever cost and most of them are now in need of repair. The double-decker buses imported from India under the same LoC also need urgent repairs.
© 2024 - All Rights with The Financial Express
