Page 6 - Transport

Tata Motors delivers prototype of indigenously-developed e-bus to BMTC

Tata Motors on Friday delivered a prototype of its indigenously-developed electric bus to the Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation. The Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) has placed an order for 921 advanced e-buses with the auto major, Tata Motors said in a statement. As part of the larger order signed between TML Smart City Mobility Solutions Ltd -- a wholly-owed subsidiary of Tata Motors -- and BMTC, the company will supply, operate and maintain 921 units of 12-metre low-floor electric buses for 12 years, the statement said. The bus is equipped with modern features, providing commuters a hassle-free travel experience, Asim Kumar Mukhopadhyay, managing director and chief executive officer at TML Smart City Mobility Solutions Limited, said. To date, Tata Motors said it has supplied over 900 e-buses across multiple cities in the country.

RTO drive finds 30% of over 14,000 buses flouting rules in Maharashtra

Nearly 30 per cent of more than 14,000 private buses checked by regional transport offices (RTOs) in Maharashtra during a special drive were found to be flouting rules, the transport department has said. According to a release by the department on Tuesday, RTOs checked 14,161 private buses as part of the special drive conducted between May 15 and June 30. Of these vehicles, 4,277, or nearly 30 per cent, were found to be violating rules and regulations and offences were registered against some of them, it said. The very next day after the drive ended on July 1 25 passengers travelling on a private sleeper coach were charred to death when the vehicle caught fire after hitting a road divider on the Samruddhi Expressway in Buldhana district. Of those buses caught flouting rules during the special drive, 1,702 were found violating norms about reflectors, indicators and tail lights, followed by 890 buses plying without permits or not following permit conditions. According to the relea

Only GPS-enabled vehicle for inter-state apple transport, KYC to be checked

Only GPS-enabled vehicles will be registered for the inter-state transportation of apples and KYCs of dubious merchants would be scrutinised, police officials here said on Wednesday. As per police data, about 100 vehicles carrying apples were stolen, and over 500 cases of cheating, forgery and non-payment of dues were registered in the past three years in Shimla district. "To curb such instances, only GPS-enabled vehicles will be registered for the inter-state transportation in Shimla district and the police will keep access of these GPS devices," SP Shimla Sanjeev Kumar Gandhi told PTI. This will help in tracing stolen vehicles and vehicles diverted from their expected routes, he said. Himachal Pradesh has a Rs 5,000 crore economy related to apple production and sales, and the peak season for the fruit begins in mid-July and lasts till October-end. Some varieties start hitting the market by June-end, while apples from higher reaches and tribal areas continues till October-end. The

Policies to get public transport in most cities soon: Advisor to PM

The government will come out with policies to introduce public transport in most Indian cities, and the electric vehicle industry can expect "very large" support in this segment, Advisor to Prime Minister Tarun Kapoor said on Tuesday. In an analysis, it was realised that public transport is missing in most of the Indian cities. "So, while the government now will come out with policies to get public transport to most of the Indian cities, we will also ensure that this happens with electricity and not with diesel. Therefore, on public transport also you can look forward to a very large support from the government coming in. "So that not only we will see the transition from diesel buses, but we will also see more and more of public transport, which is missing, and electric coming in," he said. Kapoor was speaking at a function on electric mobility here. He also called upon the EV industry to focus on innovation to cut the prices of vehicles and reduce battery size. Penetration of EV

Gadkari meets state, UT transport ministers to discuss concurrent policy

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari on Monday chaired a meeting of transport ministers from all states and Union Territories (UTs) to discuss various concurrent policy matters, including review of road traffic regulations, setting up vehicle fitness stations and streamlining the issuance of driving licenses. Gadkari, in a tweet, said that with mutual consultation and cooperation with the transport minister of states and UTs, a range of innovative solutions were discussed. Keeping up with technological advancements, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) has taken several measures with a view to develop future-ready road transport in India, with safety and sustainability being the key driver of all such measures, an official statement said.

BIS issues new guidelines for transportation of dangerous, hazardous goods

The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) has come out with new guidelines to enhance safety in transportation of dangerous, hazardous goods posing threat to public safety, properties and environment. The guidelines provide in detail precautions to be taken for packaging, handling and transportation of such hazardous goods. The guidelines are meant for all stakeholders including vehicle owners, transport agencies, contractors, consignors, consignees, operators and drivers. According to an official statement, the BIS has recently published 'IS 18149:2023 - Transportation of Dangerous Goods Guidelines', which have been formulated under the Transport Services Sectional Committee, SSD 01, of BIS. The new guidelines are expected to set a new benchmark for the safe handling and transportation of hazardous materials across the country. "With the aim of standardizing the transportation practices, the BIS guidelines will help ensure that hazardous goods are transported in a safe and secure man

Auto component replacement demand estimated to grow 6-8% in FY24: Report

Auto component replacement demand is estimated to grow 6-8 per cent in the next fiscal driven by factors such as the increase in mobility and healthy freight movement, among others, a report stated on Friday. The improvement in demand has resulted in a positive impact on cash flows for aftermarket dealers and garages while the liquidity remains comfortable, credit ratings agency Icra said in the report. Also, there have been relatively minimal issues in the collection of receivables, as per the report. Icra also said that while the medium-term demand prospects are favourable, EV adoption, implementation of scrappage policy, component lifetime elongation, and possible increased use of public transport vis--vis private vehicles could cap the growth. The aftermarket segment constitutes around a fifth of the overall demand and remains a vital cog in the Indian auto component industry, it said. The average age of medium and heavy commercial vehicles had increased to almost 10 years, wh

Mumbai transport takes 400 buses off roads as 3 CNG buses catch fire

Mumbai's civic transport body BEST on Wednesday said it was taking 400 leased buses off roads after three incidents of these buses catching fire were reported within one month. A bus of the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) undertaking was completely gutted in fire in suburban Andheri earlier in the evening. No one was injured in the incident, officials said. In view of these incidents involving TATA CNG buses operated by M/S Mateshwari Ltd, BEST has decided to take all 400 buses off roads till the OEM (original manufacturer) and operator take necessary corrective measures to ensure that such incidents do not happen in future, said BEST general manager Lokesh Chandra in a statement.

Budget pushes for developing transport, urban infrastructure, housing

Railways ministry gets highest-ever capital expenditure allocation, of Rs 2.4 trillion in FY24

Green hydrogen pilot to cover steel, transport and shipping sectors

The mission has proposed pilot projects for replacing fossil fuels and fossil fuel-based feedstocks with Green Hydrogen and its derivatives

Crippled by huge losses, RSRTC seeks six-month time to repay bond

The last instalment, which the firm has requested an extension for, is worth Rs 124.72 crore

Over 100 transport teams to be deployed to ensure trucks don't enter Delhi

A total of 120 teams of the transport department will be in action at Delhi's entry points to ensure that trucks, apart from those carrying essential items, do not enter the national capital, officials said on Thursday. With Delhi's Air Quality Index (AQI) a notch short of entering the "severe plus" category, a central panel directed authorities on Thursday to ban the plying of four-wheeled diesel light motor vehicles in the city and the adjoining NCR districts and the entry of trucks into the capital as part of the anti-pollution measures under the final stage of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP). However, BS-VI vehicles and those used for essential and emergency services have been exempted, according to an order issued by the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM). With a spike in the pollution levels, the enforcement teams of the transport department are fully involved in ensuring that the anti-pollution measures are implemented. "The teams will be deployed at the ent

Modern bus stands to be built at six locations: Haryana transport minister

Bus stands equipped with all modern facilities will be built for the convenience of the passengers at six locations in Haryana, state Transport Minister Mool Chand Sharma has said. The new bus stands will come up at Rewari, Pipli, Barwala, Kanina ,Guhla Cheeka and Kherki Daula. Also, tenders have been floated to buy 1,000 buses, Sharma said while presiding a review meeting with the officers of the department on Wednesday. He said the foundation stone for the new bus stands will be laid soon. The minister said in order to provide better services to citizens, e-ticketing on 60 routes in the state has been started on a trial basis. It would be implement on other routes soon, he said. The Transport Minister said the department has floated tenders for the purchase of 1,000 buses, which will be finalized soon. Apart from this, 100 electric buses will also be available to the department within the next two months, the minister said.

Indian Railways to resume levying surcharge during busy season from Oct 1

The surcharge will be levied on transportation of all commodities barring coal and coke, containers and automobiles moved in certain wagons

Railway ministry mandates online booking for goods transport starting Nov 1

he new guidelines will apply to all indents placed with zonal railways, with the exception of military traffic, goods transported during natural disasters, and events identified as force majeure by au

Transport services to civic bodies not exempt from GST in each & every case

Companies supplying vehicles to local bodies must prove that the underlying activities are exempt services, such as public health, in order to avoid paying tax, ruled Gujarat-based AAR

Over 28,000 KSRTC employees to finally get salary, but with a condition

The decision to pay the salaries came with the condition that the employees' duty structure would change from a 16-hour double shift to a 12-hour single shift

Turkey hikes up passage fees through its straits almost fivefold: Report

The passage fee hike came shortly after the straits of Turkey became the epicentre of global attention as ships carrying tonnes of Ukrainian grain sailed through them

Transport strikes in London over job pay, working condition from today

Rail services on Thursday and Saturday will be drastically reduced, with only around a fifth running, and half of lines closed

Railways freight transport up 8% in July as it carries coal nationwide

The transporter has recorded 11 per cent increase in cumulative freight loading this financial year