No takers for state bus day

21 June,2010 07:02 AM IST |   |  Sanjeev Devasia

The transport minister's announcement that transport officials in the state would use only public transport on the third of every month has fallen on deaf ears


The transport minister's announcement that transport officials in the state would use only public transport on the third of every month has fallen on deaf ears.

The April 3 announcement by Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil was meant to popularise public transport, but there seem to be no takers for the cause within his own department.

The decision was taken after officials from the state transport department visited Karnataka and found that
the transport officials there observed a monthly bus day, wherein they travelled only by bus on the particular day.

The concept emanated from the need to decongest roads and reduce pollution. To show his seriousness, the minister even travelled from Girgaum to Kherwadi junction by an air-conditioned BEST bus.

"Officials of the regional transport offices were supposed to make use of public transport like trains, buses, rickshaws and taxis and not use their official vehicles on the third of every month.

This was done to set an example as using public transport reduces traffic and benefits the environment.

However, officials haven't been observing it for the last two months," said an RTO official.

The Other Side
When contacted, Transport Commissioner Dilip Jadhav said, "We had issued an in-house circular to encourage the use of public transport. It may not have been adhered to afteru00a0 that, but we will issue a fresh circular and ensure that it is observed for at least six days a year."
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State Bus day no takers transport officials Mumbai news