The Hindu : KUIDFC loan for BMTC

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Jun 09, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Karnataka-Bangalore

KUIDFC loan for BMTC

By B.S.Ramesh

BANGALORE June 8. The Karnataka Urban Infrastructure Development and Finance Corporation (KUIDFC) has approved a loan of Rs.6 crores to the Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) for introducing an on-line Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) and Global Information System (GIS)-based vehicle-tracking system.

Conceived more than two years ago, the vehicle-tracking system involving the GPS/GIS was delayed by financial constraints and technical problems.

The project gathered steam a few months ago when the BMTC revived the project by submitting a fresh proposal to the KUIDFC.

Under the new proposal, the project cost was reduced to Rs.6 crores and the BMTC envisaged the introduction of the system in all its vehicles. This is in contrast to the earlier proposal to introduce the GPS/GIS system on trail basis in selected buses.

The BMTC felt that nothing would be achieved by installing the GPS/GIS system in a few buses. Instead, it decided to implement the project in full and approached the KUIDFC for a loan.

While the KUIDFC will sanction Rs.3 crores as loan with low interest, the BMTC will contribute an equal amount. To minimise costs and to expedite work, it has decided to explore the possibility of entrusting the outsourcing process, including consultancy and project management, to the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC).

The project is likely to be completed in six to nine months. BMTC sources said that the project was likely to be commissioned by the end of the year.

Once the system is introduced, it will be able to generate basic data on the position of the vehicle at any time point of time. The data on each vehicle will be transmitted to the control room through on-line GSM facility.

Sources said the BMTC would be the first transport corporation to implement the system. The system would help BMTC have accurate and foolproof information on traffic generated, the number of people using buses, frequency and the time to cover the distance.

Besides, it would help the BMTC in accurately accounting kilometres covered by the buses, identify deviations in operations and cancellations and also figure out accidents. This would help BMTC operate buses punctually and figure out the loss-making and revenue earning routes more accurately.

The BMTC said that the estimated project cost for the on-line monitoring system was Rs.7.5 crores and the recurring cost would be Rs.15 lakhs per month.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Southern States

Stories in this Section

`Plastic waste can be used to ensure road durability'

Bias deprives AIDS patients of care

Investors in power sector want enforceable contracts

Butterfly Park to be ready next year

KUIDFC loan for BMTC

`Airavatha' bus service to Ernakulam

College principal shot at; son-in-law kills himself

Two held for taking money from job-seekers