By: K.M. Dayashankar
With the proliferation of educational institutions, offices and residential colonies on the outskirts, Karimnagar town is growing by leaps and bounds. Until recently though, the town was deprived of a proper public transport system. However, under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewable Mission (JNNURM) programme of the Union government, the district was sanctioned 70 city buses, including 50 buses for Karimnagar town, and 20 for the Ramagundam coal belt region.
The proposal for the sanction of city buses under JNNURM was made by former Karimnagar MP Ponnam Prabhakar a year and half ago. The government had sanctioned funds for the purchase of buses and the construction of an exclusive bus station on the premises of the RTC workshop on Jagtial road in the town.
Presently, the RTC is operating normal sub-urban services connecting adjoining villages with Karimnagar town, covering a distance of 20 km. But the operation of special city buses would benefit commuters, mostly students and others.
JNNURM buses are specially designed and fitted with Intelligent Transport System (ITS) to monitor their movement. Every bus is fitted with radio frequency antenna which helps to track the movement of the bus and its arrival time etc. can then be displayed at the bus station accordingly.
The RTC authorities said that the city bus services under the JNNURM scheme would be introduced in Karimnagar district in another 60-75 days. The frequency of the bus service will be every 10 minutes.
Source: The Hindu