Another Good Article by Sneha Mejari
Link : http://www.iamin.in/en/thane/news/citizen-group-protests-seek-revival-tmt-bus-services-38568
Link : http://www.iamin.in/en/thane/news/citizen-group-protests-seek-revival-tmt-bus-services-38568
Citizen group protests to seek revival of TMT bus services
In
a unique protest aimed at reviving the Thane Municipal Transport (TMT)
bus services, TMT Bachao Kruti Samiti, comprising of a group of citizens
in Thane, assembled outside the TMT headquarters on Thursday to collect
money that would be spent in purchasing spare parts for the buses.
The idea of the protest and money-collection drive gained momentum after members of the TMT Bachao Kruti Samiti visited the TMT Wagle Depot workshop a week ago and gauged the magnitude of the problems that have led to the reduction of buses on the roads. Satyajit Shah, a member of the committee says, "TMT is on the verge of dying. There are only 80-100 buses on the road now, as opposed to 140-160 buses earlier."
In order to solve these problems, the committee, comprising of four members – Shah, Jayshree Khandilkar, Nilesh Ambekar and Rahul Londhe – along with the support of 10-12 TMT bus conductors and their families, stood outside the TMT office with tin boxes in their hands and went ahead with the ‘Bheek Maango Andolan’ (Begging Protest).
According to Ambekar, only a handful of those being asked for money, donated some amount, usually between Rs 5 and Rs 10. The rest dismissed the purpose of the protest by stressing on the need for a merger of TMT with the bus services of Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST). “There are talks about merging TMT and the BEST. But, the BEST is already in debt to the tune of Rs 200 crore. How will they revive TMT,” questions Ambekar. Opposition to the protest is hardly a demotivator for the TMT Bachao Kruti Samittee. The support from the TMT workers and management, and even the presence of the families of the workers is enough for them to keep their fight going.
The committee plans to send the money collected to the commissioner as their contribution towards the revival of TMT in the hope that the Rs 5 crore needed to revive TMT bus services is sanctioned. Committee members also claimed that 200 buses can be introduced within 2 months, if the required amount is sanctioned.
The TMT buses lie at the depot in a dilapidated conditionSneha Mejari/iamin
The committee hopes it will be able to collect enough funds to pull TMT out of a vicious cycle of problems that it is currently facing. "Most TMT buses have no windscreens and hence, are not in service. This results in a loss of Rs 13,000, per bus, per day. The tyres of these buses are fitted in other buses when needed. So, when the windscreen is available, the bus still lacks tyres and remains out of service. Thus, buses remain in the workshop,” says Londhe. A report collated by the committee about the state of TMT buses and workshops revealed that a majority of the buses had broken windows, no rear-view mirrors and were fitted with inferior quality spare parts. A lot of the old buses were not maintained well and a towing van, which was found in the Wagle Estate Bus Depot, was bought nearly 25 years ago.
The workshops are in need of improvement too, according to the commitee. Dhayaneshwar Bhoier, a TMT bus conductor, complained about the negligence on the part of the TMT. Potholes in the premises of the workshops makes movement of buses and heavy spare parts very difficult and the lack of water supply in washrooms at the workshop poses problems for the workers. Enquiry counters are set up in dilapidated sheds, where water seeps in during monsoons and documents get damaged.
A number of workers have been waiting for their salary for the last five months, yet they continue to work with TMT, in the absence of suitable alternate jobs. Pradeep Sakhre, 53, a conductor with TMT since 25 years, hasn't recieved his salary for the last two months. “The priority, right now, is to revive TMT bus services. That is why I want the buses to be repaired more than I want my salary. Only when the bus services resume can I expect to receive my salary,” says Sakhre.
The TMT, without the support of the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC), is helpless. "We agree that TMT is in a bad shape. But with increasing fuel prices it becomes difficult for us to cope up with the expenses. It becomes important to keep the buses running so we use the parts of buses which break down. It would be good if we get money to revive the TMT," says Devidas Kale, department head of TMT at the corporation.
The idea of the protest and money-collection drive gained momentum after members of the TMT Bachao Kruti Samiti visited the TMT Wagle Depot workshop a week ago and gauged the magnitude of the problems that have led to the reduction of buses on the roads. Satyajit Shah, a member of the committee says, "TMT is on the verge of dying. There are only 80-100 buses on the road now, as opposed to 140-160 buses earlier."
In order to solve these problems, the committee, comprising of four members – Shah, Jayshree Khandilkar, Nilesh Ambekar and Rahul Londhe – along with the support of 10-12 TMT bus conductors and their families, stood outside the TMT office with tin boxes in their hands and went ahead with the ‘Bheek Maango Andolan’ (Begging Protest).
According to Ambekar, only a handful of those being asked for money, donated some amount, usually between Rs 5 and Rs 10. The rest dismissed the purpose of the protest by stressing on the need for a merger of TMT with the bus services of Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST). “There are talks about merging TMT and the BEST. But, the BEST is already in debt to the tune of Rs 200 crore. How will they revive TMT,” questions Ambekar. Opposition to the protest is hardly a demotivator for the TMT Bachao Kruti Samittee. The support from the TMT workers and management, and even the presence of the families of the workers is enough for them to keep their fight going.
The committee plans to send the money collected to the commissioner as their contribution towards the revival of TMT in the hope that the Rs 5 crore needed to revive TMT bus services is sanctioned. Committee members also claimed that 200 buses can be introduced within 2 months, if the required amount is sanctioned.
The TMT buses lie at the depot in a dilapidated conditionSneha Mejari/iaminThe committee hopes it will be able to collect enough funds to pull TMT out of a vicious cycle of problems that it is currently facing. "Most TMT buses have no windscreens and hence, are not in service. This results in a loss of Rs 13,000, per bus, per day. The tyres of these buses are fitted in other buses when needed. So, when the windscreen is available, the bus still lacks tyres and remains out of service. Thus, buses remain in the workshop,” says Londhe. A report collated by the committee about the state of TMT buses and workshops revealed that a majority of the buses had broken windows, no rear-view mirrors and were fitted with inferior quality spare parts. A lot of the old buses were not maintained well and a towing van, which was found in the Wagle Estate Bus Depot, was bought nearly 25 years ago.
The workshops are in need of improvement too, according to the commitee. Dhayaneshwar Bhoier, a TMT bus conductor, complained about the negligence on the part of the TMT. Potholes in the premises of the workshops makes movement of buses and heavy spare parts very difficult and the lack of water supply in washrooms at the workshop poses problems for the workers. Enquiry counters are set up in dilapidated sheds, where water seeps in during monsoons and documents get damaged.
A number of workers have been waiting for their salary for the last five months, yet they continue to work with TMT, in the absence of suitable alternate jobs. Pradeep Sakhre, 53, a conductor with TMT since 25 years, hasn't recieved his salary for the last two months. “The priority, right now, is to revive TMT bus services. That is why I want the buses to be repaired more than I want my salary. Only when the bus services resume can I expect to receive my salary,” says Sakhre.
The TMT, without the support of the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC), is helpless. "We agree that TMT is in a bad shape. But with increasing fuel prices it becomes difficult for us to cope up with the expenses. It becomes important to keep the buses running so we use the parts of buses which break down. It would be good if we get money to revive the TMT," says Devidas Kale, department head of TMT at the corporation.
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