Bhopal: Bhopal City Link Limited (BCLL) will have to wait a little longer for eight bus stands on BRTS corridor as the company assigned to develop them has failed to complete the given work under stipulated time.
Herman international, a private firm, has been assigned the task of developing 41 bus stands in the city under the public private partnership (PPP) mode. While the firm has handed over 33 bus stops to BCLL, eight are remaining. The company officials have cited theft as reason for the delay in completion of these remaining bus stops on the dedicated bus express way.
Thefts of cables from machines installed at these bus stops have been reported delaying their development, said company officials. Cables from bus stop at Link Road number 1 and other places have taken place leading to the halt of the work, they added. The theft of cable of public information system (PIS) and automatic fare collection (AFC) machines being installed have become a big botheration for BCLL authorities. Absence of guards at the bus stops is giving free hand to thieves as in incidents of theft of cable from expensive machines have been reported from many areas.
With the cables missing, the entire machine becomes useless and we have to start the process again which leads to loss of money as well as time, a company official said. The bus stops are equipped with modern facilities like automated gates. BCLL official Sanjay Soni said that even cases of theft of tube lights from the bus stands have been reported for which we have also filed a complaint with police.
BCLL director Kewal Mishra, said that the company has deployed security guards at bus stops, however, the stops where there is no security continues to be vulnerable. He said that we will take legal action against the company if it further delays the project. The company which is developing the stands is solely responsible for the management and security and if theft is occurring there then it is their duty to arrange for security guards, added Mishra.
