The inauguration of 3.5 km Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS) corridor from Seethannapet to Gunadala seems to be further delayed as the Vijayawada Urban Transport Company Limited (VUTCL) is yet to hold its board of directors meeting to arrive at a decision on plying of buses, fare and other things.
According to official sources, district collector and VUTCL chairman Buddha Prakash M Jyothi and municipal commissioner MD Abdul Azeem are not keen on launching the BRTS project at the earliest.
It may be recalled here that former municipal commissioner G Ravi Babu announced that the BRTS project would be inaugurated in June. The VUTCL is yet to meet even three months after the announcement.
Both the collector and commissioner who are new to the place, may take time to study the project before arriving at a final decision on introducing BRTS buses, sources added.
It is learnt that the APSRTC is also not evincing interest to operate BRTS buses fearing that the project is not economically viable.
Local leaders have flayed the VMC officials for the undue delay in inauguration of the BRTS corridor.CPM city secretary Ch Babu Rao said the BRTS project which began 5 years ago, was way behind schedule due to lack of proper coordination among the APSRTC, VMC and district collector.
The APSRTC is the major stakeholder in the project with 51 per cent equity. The Vijayawada Municipal Corporation and Vijayawada Guntur Tenali Mangalagiri Urban Development Authority are the other stakeholders with 25 per cent and 24 per cent equity respectively in the project.