BENGALURU: Operation of overaged buses has led to an increase in the Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation’s (BMTC) maintenance expenditure, reveals a report by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India, which was recently tabled in the assembly.
The CAG report has found that there is a rise in the maintenance expenditure especially on auto parts consumption, reconditioning of vehicles and lubricant consumption between 2011 and 2016 despite no significant increase in fleet strength.
Records shows that BMTC’s auto parts consumption recorded a 100 per cent increase —Rs 32.15 crore in 2011-12 to Rs 64.20 crore in 2015-16. Similarly, lubricant consumption has also increased from Rs 8.63 crore in 2011-12 to Rs 13.09 crore in 2015-16.
Expenditure for recondition of vehicle has increased from Rs 13.31 crore in 2011-12 to Rs 18.22 crore in 2015-16. The report says that the number of overaged buses has increased from 283 in 2012-13 to 632 in 2015-16. “The corporation had deferred scrapping buses every year and only 1,502 buses were scrapped against the 2,131 planned between 2011 and 2016,” it said.
According to BMTC rules, buses were to be scrapped after running 8 lakh km which was revised to 8.5 lakh km in September 2015. “Operations beyond this distance were considered uneconomical as this would result in increased maintenance expenditure,” the report said.
In its audit scrutiny, it was revealed that BMTC had resorted to operating overaged buses beyond the stipulated 8.5 lakh km mainly due to the non-induction of new buses.