The primary objective of public transport corporations is to serve the public. However, this does not seem to hold good on many occasions, like on Monday, when BMTC and KSRTC gave a large number of buses in their fleet on casual contract for the JD(S) convention, causing an acute shortage of buses on road and putting the public to hardships.
According to KSRTC public relations department, it gave over 2,000 buses (35 per cent) while BMTC gave 1,750 buses ( 30 per cent) for the convention. A top official admitted that the situation calls for a policy decision regarding casual contract at the central level. The STUs must restrict the number of buses that can be given on contract on a single day.
BMTC’s mission
Preamble of the Act framed by the Govt for the formation of BMTC: BMTC’s Mission: To provide efficient, economic, safe, reliable and punctual services to the commuters of city and suburban areas of Bangalore.BMTC provides the most affordable and dependable transport service to the people in and around Bangalore. It is an undertaking of the Govt. of Karnataka, dedicated to the commoner’s transport facility.
Its motive is therefore service rather than profit.
For the full text, click on:
http://www.expressbuzz.com/edition/story.aspx?Title=Profit+for+KSRTC+at+whose+cost?&artid=8e4ZkG|ZeZg=&SectionID=7GUA38txp3s=&MainSectionID=fyV9T2jIa4A=&SectionName=zkvyRoWGpmWSxZV2TGM5XQ==&SEO=
The mission as stated is something; but, when it comes to practice, it's another. Exactly, the problem with Socialism!
And, this is nothing new in BMTC. Check: http://praja.in/bangalore/blog/murali772/2008/09/08/bmtcs-business-oriented-outlook
Restrictions on the number of buses given out on casual contract, etc will just be sidelined by the politicos. The simple answer is effective competition - check: http://praja.in/blog/murali772/2007/12/12/better-bussing-green-bangalore
Muralidhar Rao
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Comments
Time for PIL against this practice !
Murali Sir,
Few days back I had raised the same question w.r.t contract service for Private companies in the morning and evenings. The point was why should BMTC/KSRTC be catering to the service at the expense of ordinary daily commuters. In order to cater to such services they are depriving the ordinary public the services they entitled for. I am 100% sure that these contract would not fetch any profits. They are tools to appease political bosses.
I think this is a fit case for filing a PIL
1. To stop this practice from BMTC/KSRTC
2. Ensure that BMTC/KSRTC buses run on normal schedule 365 days a year and 24/7.
3. If BMTC and KSRTC are interested in catering to contract business they need to compete with other players without disturbing the normal schedule.
4. There should be more buses on normal schedule for such special occasions.
Your thoughts on this would be most welcome.
File PIL against JD(S)
http://www.deccanherald.c...
"MUMBAI HC, Govt act tough In the aftermath of a number of terror bombings in Mumbai in 2003, the BJP-Shiv Sena called for a general strike in Mumbai on July 30, bringing the city to a halt. The parties claimed it a cent per cent success by spontaneous participation of the people. However, leading Mumbai citizens Gerson DaCunha, Alyque Padamsee, former union cabinet secretary B G Deshmukh and two others filed a public interest litigation, asking for a penalty.
They estimated that the day-long bandh had cost the city a loss of Rs 50 crore. On July 23, 2004, the Bombay High Court fined the two parties Rs 20 lakh each for organising the bandh. The division bench of the HC comprising Justice A P Shah and Justice S U Kamdar, ordered that the two parties deposit Rs 20 lakhs each with the State Government.
This amount, however, should not go into the general revenue fund but be earmarked for a specific public utility that would benefit the citizens of Mumbai. Since then, there had been no bundhs in Mumbai like in past."
We can write to Mr Gerson Da Cunha
I think we can even file PIL
Regards,
Pradeep
“An act of charity by the citizens questions the worthiness of the government.”
Hi Murali, I totally
Regards,
Pradeep
“An act of charity by the citizens questions the worthiness of the government.”
Need 2 PILs for this issue!
I'm out of the country
I am out of the country now and the last i read was the the High Court was taking some action:
http://www.deccanherald.c...
It appears that Mr Amaranathan as stated above had already filed a PIL about political rallies.
However, it is best we get a copy of the judgement of the Bombay High Court. If we are to teach a lesson to the JD(S), going by the judgement of the Bombay High Court is the best way forward.
I haven't filed a PIL and do not know the core details of how to file one. However, i am willing to be a plaintiff or a co-plaintiff if someone does file one using the judgement of the Bombay HC as a template.
Its a shame
User Interaction Designer
Bangalore
Who is responsible?
keep at it
Hi Ananth
Very much like you, most PRAJA members are not content just discussing and debating these issues. We would very much like to pursue some action to see if we can help effect some changes.
But, PRAJA is only a platform as of now. We need to build capacity. We are working towards that.
In the meanwhile, if anyone wants to pursue a PIL in his individual capacity, or as a group, PRAJA can lend technical support.
But, even as a platform, I dare say, we are beginning to make an impact. So, do pitch in.
Muralidhar Rao
PS: As far this specific matter is concerned, like Cadambi has stated, some people have already filed PILs. We will keep a look out for the progress.
Not just keeping at it, but seeing if we can move on..
Sure, some of us will sponsor a suvey
Anant sir, If you are willing to come forward and help carry out this survey, some of us here are willing to fund it.
But I have limited time, not ready yet to give up my day job and do all this fulltime. So I am making use of my limited time to do what I feel most driven about.
Praja, or any such tool, can never do much if it does thing for "others". Nobody can do anything for you if you don't feel driven enough to do it yourself. And then, there is the question of what is the right level at which we should do things, as in spend our time on?
Praja, or whatever becomes of it in the future, can do anything meaningful only if it aims to become a DIY (Do It Yourself) platform or tool. It should be like, come here, find help, tools and friends, and just do it. Or else, if some of us here start doing the running around for everyone who suggests action, it will all just die after initial enshusiasm.
Also, remember, that running around on the ground is not the only way of doing. A detailed report with constructive suggestions is alos "doing it", for someone may read and get inspired. Filing just an RTI and telling all about what you learned is alos "doing it". At the lowst level, the fact that I or you chose to spend precious time reading and commenting here is "doing it", because that tells us all that you and I care, we have some energy inside of us, which, someday and in someway can be tapped.
About TOI etc helping out, I am not too hopeful. There is a reson we have not converted Praja into a commercial venture yet. We would just become another TOI, pressured to sell news and make some, rather than reporting things.
For an example, we asked Lokayukta office yesterday about the recent BDA engineer bribery case involving a construction company. We were told how after spending a few days in the jail, and spending a few lakhs via lawyers and bails and *****, almost all parties are out and about. Did you know this? When the BDA engineer was caught, hundred and one newspapers of this city reported it with pictures and pomp. How many reported what eventually happened to the caught parties!?
Perfect
SB's summary is quite perfect.
Mr.Ananth,
Let me try to put it this way - Praja is a "platform" for people waiting to "take-off", & this "platform" is open to anyone at anytime & at any place at his convenience !
What we learn or discuss from here might assist to go about with our interests in fighting for our rights & making public servants accountable.
Of course, some topics which are of common interest & sees much participation are being handled by many together, too, in groups.
Thus, actionable items on the ground that obviously needs people's time & some efforts, resources, etc. must be either invested by the individual or pooled in by two or more individulas.
I think if we continue this way, we will at some point become a strong collective voice that the authorities cannot ignore - we have already made some progress & will continue towards these endeavors with support from you, as also others.
Cheers to Praja !
Hey SB and naveen, Thanks
Ok, now lets get back
Janaagraha did it!
"What was govt doing that day", asks Bench when the JD(S) Rally Caused Extreme Inconvenience. "We are only interested in the general public. But we want parties to be accountable,” a division bench headed by Chief Justice P D Dinakaran observed. It adjourned hearing of a PIL filed by city-based Janagraha Centre For Citizenship and Democracy and its co-founder Ramesh Ramanathan. For the full story, click on:
http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=VE9JQkcvMjAwOC8xMi8wNiNBcjAwNTAx&Mode=HTML&Locale=english-skin-custom
That's interesting, and indeed commendable.
Muralidhar Rao