Tuesday, December 16, 2008

Signal turns red

Thursday 29 November, 2007
NMMT Forced to withdraw its new services
Turbhe: Route number 60 and 61 connecting Kalyan and Ambernath respectively, started by Navi Mumbai Municipal Transport with much fanfare on Monday were withdraw a day later.
The reason is believed to be a threat handed down by kalian Dombivali Municipal Transport (KDMT) to block their movement. KDMT has two routes serving Navi Mumbai, one between Kalyan nad Vashi and the other between Kalyan and Kharghar.Both are regarded as highly profitable routes and the undertaking has vowed not to let anyone graze into them.
For the sake of record NMMT has got clearances from RTO of Vashi and Kalyan. Their decisions however are yet to be endorsed by the Regional Transport Authority. That has been good enough for KDMT to voice a protest.
The quick reaction from KDMT is explained thus. Most of the undertaking’s buses are owned by contractors and run by the public body on profit sharing basis. The letter have found Navi Mumbai routes ‘very paying’ and are in no mood to allow any ‘intruders’.
Rajan Vichare, Chairman of KDMT said that his organization will not allow NMMT bus on these routes at day cost. For the sake of record, he emphasized that the latter does not have the clearance from Regional Transport Authority (RTA).
NMMT Chairman Vishwanath Patil however was optimistic. “We have taken up the matter with the RTA and are hopeful of getting all the clearances within a week. We will start the services soon thereafter,” he added.
Earlier, NMMT was similarly beaten back by BEST. The former wanted to start services to Dadar and Ghatkoper, both considered profitable routes by the latter. Firm opposition by BEST forced NMMT to hold its plans. Tody’s is the second discomfiture being experienced by the ailing undertaking.

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