With the rise in fuel prices, the Vijayawada Municipal Corporation (VMC) is contemplating slashing expenditure on fuel. As part of this, VMC Commissioner G. Ravi Babu a couple of days ago issued instructions to the officials to repair the mini bus owned by the Corporation.
The officials are now in the process of “reconditioning” the vehicle, which is hardly put to use regularly except for press tours.
After the government hiked the petrol price by Rs. 5 a litre and diesel by Rs. 3 a litre, the Corporation is forced to take up austerity measures to curb expenditure on fuel. The instructions are ostensibly aimed at “rationalising” the expenditure without affecting the usual functioning of the Corporation. The Corporation now intends to use the mini bus during any inspection of ongoing developmental and engineering works, by putting an end to the current practice of the officials using a fleet of about 15 jeeps and cars. The use of these many vehicles roughly translates into an expenditure of about Rs. 32 lakh on fuel every month.
Municipal Commissioner G. Ravi Babu says that the move would also help reduce pollution. “The convoy of vehicles sometimes results in traffic jams. With these little austerity measures, we can avoid traffic jams and pollution,” he feels.
The Corporation also plans to purchase another vehicle with a seating capacity of 30 to 35. The vehicle could be used for transporting municipal school children to e-learning centre at CVR Municipal High School as the Corporation plans to set up a total of three e-learning centres covering the entire city, he says.
