Punjab government plans to procure 650 fully built buses for Punbus and PRTC, ensuring safety, transparency, and compliance with new automotive standards.
The procurement of 650 buses for the state transport fleet will shortly begin, according to the Punjab government. Instead of acquiring chassis and then obtaining custom-built buses from fabricators, the Transport Department is considering buying completely constructed buses straight from vehicle manufacturers.
To maintain efficiency and transparency, the department currently buys chassis and then has the bus manufactured by registered fabricators on the Government e-Marketplace (GeM), a public procurement website.
According to officials with knowledge of the issue, purchasing completely constructed buses would increase openness because, under the previous administration, there were reported anomalies in the fabrication of the bodies for 841 buses from Rajasthan.
The technical committee’s comments are being used to refine the requirements. The department needs 250 buses for Punbus and 400 buses for the Punjab Roadways Transport Corporation (PRTC).
Also read: CM Bhagwant Mann Unveils State’s Largest Ever Road Development Plan
The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways released a new automotive industry standard code (A-153) in September that outlines the safety and construction specifications for completely constructed buses with 13 seats or more that have been produced from April 1, 2019. Along with other building criteria for passenger safety and comfort, it covers features like fire safety measures, advanced safety systems (CCTV, GPS), and accessibility for passengers with disabilities (priority seats, handrails). “These buses will need to comply with the new code,” a senior government official stated.
The criteria for the procurement of completely constructed midi buses—vehicles that fall between a minibus and a full-sized bus—are already being finalized by the PRTC.
The General Secretary of the Punjab Small Scale Bus Operators Association, JS Grewal, stated that Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann had mentioned that the fabrication was done at a cost of Rs 11.98 lakh per body while pointing out the suspected wrongdoings in obtaining the bus bodies from Rajasthan. “The manufacturers provide a discount of Rs 5 lakh to Rs 9 lakh per vehicle if they purchase chassis or completely built buses in bulk. Purchases in bulk can receive greater discounts and have any errors in the transaction checked,” he stated.