JKSTRC gets fleet of 95 buses, 405 more to come

Jammu: Once marred by mismanagement and corruption during 1980’s and 1990s which led to its decline bringing it to brink of bankruptcy, the Jammu & Kashmir Road Transport Corporation (JKRTC) is now on revival mode and has got 95 new buses in its pocket.
“In order to revive Jammu and Kashmir’s dead horse, JK UT administration is making all efforts to expand Jammu & Kashmir Road Transport Corporation (JKRTC) and provides 95 fleet of new buses to the corporation, inauguration of which is expected within three days by the Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha”, said a senior official.
They said that 95 buses have reached JK UT and are expected to get operated within a week as the registration of these vehicles is underway. The procured vehicles include 48 air-conditioned vehicles while the rest of the 405 more vehicles including buses and trucks will be added to the corporation soon, but in a phased manner.
According to the officials in JKRTC, last year after launching 12-online services and e-Book of the Transport Department, the Lieutenant t Governor Manoj Sinha had highlighted key measures initiated by the UT administration in strengthening the transport sector.
L G had also revealed that two major projects- the Institute of Driving Training and Research at Kot Bhalwal, and the Inspection and Certification Centre at Samba district will also be completed by March 2021. He had also entrusted upon J&K Road Transport Corporation the expansion of their fleet of buses in hope that the government-run buses traverse 20 lakh kms every month, increasing from its present average of 15 lakh kms a month.
Pertinent to mention here that starting its operation with a fleet of 50 buses after it was established in 1948 as Government Transport Undertaking in erstwhile J&K state, the corporation was once a dominant player in public transport. But years of mismanagement and corruption bring it to the brink of bankruptcy.