Surat City Bus

Surat City Bus is the name under which city buses are operated in Surat, Gujarat, India. It is operated by a private entity-‘Sitilink’ under a public private partnership model for the Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC).[2] The model is based on an earlier model by the Ahmedabad Municipal Transport Service (AMTS) which operated bus services in Ahmedabad on a public-private partnership, but subsequently failed.[3] In 2012, the Government of Gujarat announced that it would set up similar transport facilities in 180 cities across the state under a public-private partnership.[4]

Surat City Bus
ParentSurat Municipal Corporation
Founded2007 (2007)
Service areaSurat, India
Service typeCommuter bus
Fleet576[1]
Daily ridership200,000[1]
Fuel type
  • Diesel
  • CNG
  • Electric

History

In 1997, the Surat Municipal Corporation had submitted a feasibility report to the Government of Gujarat, for privatisation of bus services in Surat city, as existing services being operated by the state-run Gujarat State Road Transport Corporation (GSRTC) were found to be loss-making and insufficient for the city.[5] In 1999, the GSRTC inaugurated a new bus stand and office at Udhna for city and rural bus services in and around the city.[6]

Operations

In August 2007, the SMC entered into an agreement with a private entity to provide bus services for a period of five years. These buses were referred to as Redline buses and were fueled by compressed natural gas (CNG).[7] In 2013, the SMC was unable to find a new operator, forcing it to extend the existing agreement by a few months. Subsequently, Redline services were suspended because the operator could not break even with the service.[2][8] This reportedly affected 80,000 commuters per day across the city.[9] In July 2013, the SMC launched a new line of services labelled Blueline buses, operated by a different operator. A total of 120 bus stops were constructed by the SMC prior to the Blueline buses being flagged off. The Blueline service is expected to run 125 buses for six years.[10] The passenger number has risen from 3,000 to 65,000 and the SMC's revenue, too, shot up from ₹46,000 to ₹600,000 daily. The ministry said that in Surat city the model shift of passengers from autorickshaw to city bus is about 86.91 per cent. At least 6.18 per cent of two-wheel passengers, 0.67 per cent of car users and nearly 5 per cent of other passengers have started using city buses.

Fleet

It consists of 576 buses[1] and runs on 28 different routes, covering 85 per cent of urban area. More than 2 lakh passengers use public transport on a daily.


References
  1. "180 Gujarat cities to get private bus service".
  2. "No takers for Surat city bus service". The Indian Express. Surat. 20 March 2013. Retrieved 27 June 2014.
  3. Bhatt, Himansshu (26 October 2012). "Surat's public transport on verge of collapse". Times of India. Surat. Retrieved 28 June 2014.
  4. John, Paul (16 June 2012). "180 Gujarat cities to get private bus service". Times of India. Ahmedabad. Retrieved 28 June 2014.
  5. Rawat, Basant (21 August 1998). "Govt apathy hits bus project". The Indian Express. Surat. Retrieved 27 June 2014.
  6. "GSRTC bus office inaugurated". The Indian Express. Surat. 24 June 1999. Retrieved 27 June 2014.
  7. Thomas, Melvyn (21 August 2012). "Travelling in Surat's redline buses a harrowing experience". Times of India. Surat. Retrieved 27 June 2014.
  8. "Surat buses back on roads". Times of India. Surat. 21 September 2013. Retrieved 28 June 2014.
  9. Bhatt, Himansshu (10 May 2013). "No public transport for 45 days". Times of India. Surat. Retrieved 29 June 2014.
  10. Bhatt, Himansshu (4 July 2013). "New bus service in Surat unlikely before August". Times of India. Surat. Retrieved 28 June 2014.
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