Ex-serviceman appointed as driver, conductors
Aurangabad, Jan 22: The city bus service has been closed for the last 77 days due to the strike of ST employees. The third anniversary of the city bus is on January 23. The Smart City administration decided to re-launch bus services on some major routes on the occasion of the anniversary. Ex-servicemen have been appointed on temporary basis as drivers.
Smart city administration purchased 100 buses in 2017. An agreement was signed with the ST corporation for 5 years. Buses were stopped during the first and second waves of the corona. The ST strike began a few days after the bus service started three months ago. As a result, the bus service came to a halt. Citizens have to suffer a lot due to the lack of public transport system. Hence Astik Kumar Pandey, CEO of Smart City, decided to hire ex-servicemen with 15 years of experience as drivers on contract basis. In the first phase, 11 buses will be started in two shifts from Sunday. Also, 56 drivers and conductors were trained under the guidance of Ram Pawanikar, chief manager, city bus department, Mukul Dev, deputy manager and Siddharth Bansod.
Bus service on 5 routes
Buses will be operated from Cidco to Railway Station via TV Center, Aurangpura to Ranjangaon via Central Bus Stand, Cidco to Ghanegaon via Ranjangaon, Mylan, Cidco to Jogeshwari via Ranjangaon, Chikalthana to Ranjangaon via Cidco, Mahavir Chowk and More Chowk.