KL Report
Srinagar
741 vehicles including 685 buses and 56 minibuses have been condemned in last several years in Kashmir and the number is set to amplify by 286 vehicles by the end of next year.
According to the official documents available with KNS, 357 buses, part of Kashmir Motor Drivers Association (KMDA), have been condemned over the years’ up to March 31, 2013.
By the end of this year alone, 29 KMDA buses are set to be taken off the road while 20 more would be condemned by the December 2014, the documents said.
Similarly, 328 buses which were a part of the Western Bus Service Batamaloo have been condemned so far by the Regional Transport Officer Kashmir.
47 more buses shall be condemned by the end of 31 December and 85 more would meet the same fate by the end of 2014 end.
In 2005 the government issued an order to phase out 25-year old 52-seater passenger buses in the Valley.
The vehicles have been condemned on the directions by Jammu and Kashmir High Court, directing taking off the road 15 to 25 old commercial vehicles in phased manner.
Regarding medium passenger vehicles, the document reveals that 56 vehicles have been condemned while its number will rise by 76 more when clock strikes December end. 29 such vehicles will be off the road by December 2014, the document said.
The document further reveals that the more minibuses will be condemned in near future.
“Medium passenger vehicle started their operation in 1988-89 and are completing their 25 years in the current year and years to follow, therefore the condemnation would be more in coming years in phased manner.”
