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Time of India
12-06-2025
- Automotive
- Time of India
Rajasthan Government Begins RSRTC Overhaul with 1300 New Buses, Depot Upgrades, EV Push
The Rajasthan government has launched a broad reform initiative to modernise the Rajasthan State Road Transport Corporation ( RSRTC ) under its successive state budgets 2024–25 and 2025–26. The initiatives focus on augmenting bus fleet size, improving infrastructure, introducing electric vehicles (EVs), adopting digital systems, and streamlining financial management. Shubhra Singh , Chairperson RSRTC , informed that the reforms are being carried out to revitalize operations by modernizing assets, enhancing institutional efficiency, and proactively transforming challenges into opportunities for long-term resilience and sustainable performance. RSRTC's bus fleet has declined from about 5,000 buses in 2017–18 to approximately 3,500 in 2024–25. Of the current fleet, around 1,400 vehicles, are more than a decade old though safe for operations, and are slated for decommissioning in this year. In a decisive boost to RSRTC, the state government has sanctioned the procurement of 1,300 new buses. These will include deluxe intercity buses, Blue Line services, Volvo coaches, and electric buses. In the National Capital Region (NCR), the corporation plans to phase out all 900 diesel-run buses. Of these, 300 electric vehicles are being procured through the state government budget, while an additional 600 EVs are expected to be added through the central government's PM E-DRIVE scheme. Once these new buses are incorporated, RSRTC's total fleet strength is expected to return to nearly 5,000 by the end of the financial year. The deployment model includes both direct operation and the Gross Cost Contract (GCC) model, under which private operators run buses on fixed contracts with RSRTC. In 2024, RSRTC initiated infrastructure renewal across existing depots by raising a loan of INR 66 Crore. Presently, 76 bus stands and workshops are being renovated with individual project costs ranging from INR 50 lakhs to INR 3.5 Crore. The renovation will not only face lift the aesthetics of bus stands but will also improve the passenger-centric facilities such as lighting, seating,sanitation etc. 40 additional bus stands are scheduled for similar upgrades in this financial year. The state has also proposed constructing state-of-the-art bus stands known as "Bus Port." These bus terminals will function as multi-modal transit hubs, combining passenger waiting areas, food courts, EV charging stations, and commercial outlets. According to Singh, feasibility studies for this ambitious initiative have already been conducted for eight different locations in the state viz. Ajmer, Bharatpur, Bikaner, Udaipur, Beawar, Chittorgarh, Bhilwara and Bundi. The objective is to upgrade depots into transit centres that allow smoother transfers, improve passenger convenience, and generate non-fare revenue. These bus ports will change the idea of a typical bus stand and will provide impetus to RSRTC's bid for monetizing its land assets. To address operational expansion, the State Government has approved the recruitment of 500 conductors. In addition, the corporation has also hired civil defence personnels to work as conductors. Singh stated that hiring is being prioritised in line with the projected increase in fleet and maintenance responsibilities. A new operational accountability model has also been introduced under the 'Meri Bus Meri Zimmedaari ' scheme, in which each mechanic is assigned a specific bus. The aim is to improve day-to-day upkeep and ensure better maintenance records across the fleet. Technology upgrades have also been rolled out across RSRTC's operations. All new and existing buses are being fitted with panic buttons, GPS-based telematics, and CCTV cameras. Panic buttons enable emergency alerts, particularly to enhance women's safety. GPS devices track stop durations, speeds, and route adherence, while onboard CCTV will be used to monitor fare collection and deter misconduct. This has also resulted in an increase of diesel mileage and reduction in accident rates. On the ticketing side, RSRTC is revamping its e-ticketing system to integrate with the National Common Mobility Card (NCMC), allowing seamless transactions across bus, rail, and metro systems. In addition to passenger-facing tech, back-end operations—including logistics, procurement, HR, and maintenance—are being digitised. As part of its EV strategy, the state is examining the feasibility to install solar-powered charging stations at select depots and planned bus ports. Rajasthan's solar power generation capacity, Singh said, makes on-site photovoltaic charging viable. Although the central schemes currently focus on intra-city transport such as Jaipur's city bus services, the state is advocating for its expansion to inter-city transport under RSRTC. This would allow EV operations to scale sustainably across longer routes. The corporation has also introduced route rationalisation as a cost-saving measure. Buses are now scheduled to run a standard average of 400 kilometres per day, improving fuel efficiency and reducing idle time. Low-performing or loss-making routes have been curtailed, while services on profitable routes have been expanded. This reallocation has reduced unnecessary mileage and operational losses. The corporation has also cleared dues related to employee payments and vendor contracts. Singh said the salary and gratuity payment system which were earlier delayed by up to three months, have now been streamlined. A significant milestone was the clearance of pending overtime allowances, amounting to ₹123 crores, honoring the commitment to employee welfare and a major step toward restoring trust and boosting employee morale. Training activities for field employees such as drivers and conductors were also conducted to boost employee productivity, enhance skills, and promote operational excellence. RSRTC Cuts Losses by ₹57 Crore, Boosts Daily Revenue Singh credited the efforts of Managing Director Purusottam Sharma and the dedicated teamwork for the turnaround in RSRTC's financial performance over the past year. The corporation has reduced its annual losses by ₹56–57 crore compared to previous year. This improvement is attributed to stricter enforcement of fare collection. Conductors caught with more than two instances of ticketless passengers face suspension, and random inspections have increased. These efforts have led to an increase in daily earnings, which have gone up from an average of ₹4.75 crore to ₹6 crore per day, occasionally peaking at ₹7.6 crore during peak travel periods. Passenger service upgrades have been introduced across the network. Depots are undergoing audits based on sanitation, lighting, seating, and overall upkeep. Each depot is being classified as A, B, or C grade to determine the scale of improvement required. Within buses, changes include improved lighting, route display systems, and public address announcements. Passengers can also access a new mobile application to track buses in real time, check availability, and manage digital ticket bookings. Singh noted that the introduction of such tools is aimed at restoring public trust and ensuring service predictability. The Chairperson also highlighted that passenger convenience has remained the focus of the State Government and in view of that, RSRTC has initiated a pilot 'Bus Hostess' facility where Passengers are provided with high-quality food and beverage options to ensure a pleasant and satisfying travel experience. The facility is being run on an experimental basis and is expected to be rolled out on all Deluxe buses soon. The overall restructuring programme covers a wide set of operational parameters and is being implemented in phases through coordinated budgeting and monitoring. Shubhra Singh stated that the current approach focuses on strengthening public transport operations through capacity building, modernization, and improved fiscal discipline. The corporation is monitoring progress through internal audits and passenger feedback and plans to evaluate measurable impact by the end of the fiscal year. The reforms come at a time when state-run transport services in India are facing financial stress and declining ridership. With an emphasis on asset utilisation, digital governance, and electric mobility, RSRTC is at the cusp of major transformation and may be soon seen as a possible reference point for similar interventions in other states.
Time of India
12-06-2025
- Automotive
- Time of India
Rajasthan Government Begins RSRTC Overhaul with 1300 New Buses, Depot Upgrades, EV Push
The Rajasthan government has launched a broad reform initiative to modernise the Rajasthan State Road Transport Corporation ( RSRTC ) under its successive state budgets 2024–25 and 2025–26. The initiatives focus on augmenting bus fleet size, improving infrastructure, introducing electric vehicles (EVs), adopting digital systems, and streamlining financial management. Shubhra Singh , Chairperson RSRTC , informed that the reforms are being carried out to revitalize operations by modernizing assets, enhancing institutional efficiency, and proactively transforming challenges into opportunities for long-term resilience and sustainable performance. RSRTC's bus fleet has declined from about 5,000 buses in 2017–18 to approximately 3,500 in 2024–25. Of the current fleet, around 1,400 vehicles, are more than a decade old though safe for operations, and are slated for decommissioning in this year. In a decisive boost to RSRTC, the state government has sanctioned the procurement of 1,300 new buses. These will include deluxe intercity buses, Blue Line services, Volvo coaches, and electric buses. In the National Capital Region (NCR), the corporation plans to phase out all 900 diesel-run buses. Of these, 300 electric vehicles are being procured through the state government budget, while an additional 600 EVs are expected to be added through the central government's PM E-DRIVE scheme. Once these new buses are incorporated, RSRTC's total fleet strength is expected to return to nearly 5,000 by the end of the financial year. The deployment model includes both direct operation and the Gross Cost Contract (GCC) model, under which private operators run buses on fixed contracts with RSRTC. In 2024, RSRTC initiated infrastructure renewal across existing depots by raising a loan of INR 66 Crore. Presently, 76 bus stands and workshops are being renovated with individual project costs ranging from INR 50 lakhs to INR 3.5 Crore. The renovation will not only face lift the aesthetics of bus stands but will also improve the passenger-centric facilities such as lighting, seating,sanitation etc. 40 additional bus stands are scheduled for similar upgrades in this financial year. The state has also proposed constructing state-of-the-art bus stands known as "Bus Port." These bus terminals will function as multi-modal transit hubs, combining passenger waiting areas, food courts, EV charging stations, and commercial outlets. According to Singh, feasibility studies for this ambitious initiative have already been conducted for eight different locations in the state viz. Ajmer, Bharatpur, Bikaner, Udaipur, Beawar, Chittorgarh, Bhilwara and Bundi. The objective is to upgrade depots into transit centres that allow smoother transfers, improve passenger convenience, and generate non-fare revenue. These bus ports will change the idea of a typical bus stand and will provide impetus to RSRTC's bid for monetizing its land assets. To address operational expansion, the State Government has approved the recruitment of 500 conductors. In addition, the corporation has also hired civil defence personnels to work as conductors. Singh stated that hiring is being prioritised in line with the projected increase in fleet and maintenance responsibilities. A new operational accountability model has also been introduced under the 'Meri Bus Meri Zimmedaari ' scheme, in which each mechanic is assigned a specific bus. The aim is to improve day-to-day upkeep and ensure better maintenance records across the fleet. Technology upgrades have also been rolled out across RSRTC's operations. All new and existing buses are being fitted with panic buttons, GPS-based telematics, and CCTV cameras. Panic buttons enable emergency alerts, particularly to enhance women's safety. GPS devices track stop durations, speeds, and route adherence, while onboard CCTV will be used to monitor fare collection and deter misconduct. This has also resulted in an increase of diesel mileage and reduction in accident rates. On the ticketing side, RSRTC is revamping its e-ticketing system to integrate with the National Common Mobility Card (NCMC), allowing seamless transactions across bus, rail, and metro systems. In addition to passenger-facing tech, back-end operations—including logistics, procurement, HR, and maintenance—are being digitised. As part of its EV strategy, the state is examining the feasibility to install solar-powered charging stations at select depots and planned bus ports. Rajasthan's solar power generation capacity, Singh said, makes on-site photovoltaic charging viable. Although the central schemes currently focus on intra-city transport such as Jaipur's city bus services, the state is advocating for its expansion to inter-city transport under RSRTC. This would allow EV operations to scale sustainably across longer routes. The corporation has also introduced route rationalisation as a cost-saving measure. Buses are now scheduled to run a standard average of 400 kilometres per day, improving fuel efficiency and reducing idle time. Low-performing or loss-making routes have been curtailed, while services on profitable routes have been expanded. This reallocation has reduced unnecessary mileage and operational losses. The corporation has also cleared dues related to employee payments and vendor contracts. Singh said the salary and gratuity payment system which were earlier delayed by up to three months, have now been streamlined. A significant milestone was the clearance of pending overtime allowances, amounting to ₹123 crores, honoring the commitment to employee welfare and a major step toward restoring trust and boosting employee morale. Training activities for field employees such as drivers and conductors were also conducted to boost employee productivity, enhance skills, and promote operational excellence. RSRTC Cuts Losses by ₹57 Crore, Boosts Daily Revenue Singh credited the efforts of Managing Director Purusottam Sharma and the dedicated teamwork for the turnaround in RSRTC's financial performance over the past year. The corporation has reduced its annual losses by ₹56–57 crore compared to previous year. This improvement is attributed to stricter enforcement of fare collection. Conductors caught with more than two instances of ticketless passengers face suspension, and random inspections have increased. These efforts have led to an increase in daily earnings, which have gone up from an average of ₹4.75 crore to ₹6 crore per day, occasionally peaking at ₹7.6 crore during peak travel periods. Passenger service upgrades have been introduced across the network. Depots are undergoing audits based on sanitation, lighting, seating, and overall upkeep. Each depot is being classified as A, B, or C grade to determine the scale of improvement required. Within buses, changes include improved lighting, route display systems, and public address announcements. Passengers can also access a new mobile application to track buses in real time, check availability, and manage digital ticket bookings. Singh noted that the introduction of such tools is aimed at restoring public trust and ensuring service predictability. The Chairperson also highlighted that passenger convenience has remained the focus of the State Government and in view of that, RSRTC has initiated a pilot 'Bus Hostess' facility where Passengers are provided with high-quality food and beverage options to ensure a pleasant and satisfying travel experience. The facility is being run on an experimental basis and is expected to be rolled out on all Deluxe buses soon. The overall restructuring programme covers a wide set of operational parameters and is being implemented in phases through coordinated budgeting and monitoring. Shubhra Singh stated that the current approach focuses on strengthening public transport operations through capacity building, modernization, and improved fiscal discipline. The corporation is monitoring progress through internal audits and passenger feedback and plans to evaluate measurable impact by the end of the fiscal year. The reforms come at a time when state-run transport services in India are facing financial stress and declining ridership. With an emphasis on asset utilisation, digital governance, and electric mobility, RSRTC is at the cusp of major transformation and may be soon seen as a possible reference point for similar interventions in other states.
Time of India
10-06-2025
- Automotive
- Time of India
RTO Jaipur starts issuing permits for new city routes
Jaipur: To strengthen the public transport system in Jaipur, RTO Jaipur (I) will issue permits for city buses, tempos and shared vehicles on 18 different routes in the city. Along with this, permits for tempo and shared vehicles will now be issued from Heerapura bus stand as well. With public transport facilities from Heerapura bus terminal, connectivity in areas like Ajmer Road, Vaishali Nagar, Chauraha Marg, and Gandhi Nagar area will increase. Officials said that until now, only 10-20 routes in Jaipur received a small number of permits every year, but this time more than 740 permits will be allotted at once. These permits will include over 300 permits for city buses and 400 for tempo-shared vehicles on different routes. "Issuing these permits will benefit routes where people were troubled by the lack of city buses or smaller shared public transport vehicles like tempo. We have started preparations to issue permits through a transparent process," said Rajendra Shekhawat, RTO Jaipur (I). The routes for which permits will be issued to tempo and shared vehicles include Heerapura Bus Terminal to Bindayika, Vatika to Heerapura, Heerapura Bus Terminal to Muhana, Khatwaya to Deori Riddhi-Siddhi, Heerapura Bus Terminal to Nursery Circle, Niwaru Road to Bhankrota, Heerapura Bus Terminal to Bainad, and Heerapura Bus Terminal to Hathoj. On each route, 50 new vehicles will be able to get permits, said officials. Box 1100 RSRTC buses upgraded by timely maintenance, upkeep of all buses to be completed by June 30 As part of the 'Meri Bus, Meri Zimmedari' campaign, passenger amenities in 1100 buses from the fleet of Rajasthan State Road Transport Corporation (RSRTC) were upgraded. Works like seat safety, painting, marking of necessary telephone numbers, cleanliness, proper functioning of the vehicle tracking system or panic button, and condition of fire extinguishers were checked as part of the campaign. Shubhra Singh, chairperson RSRTC, said, "To provide better travel facilities to the passengers and to improve the condition of the buses, mechanical and physical work was done in about 1100 corporation buses. Passengers are happy with this unique initiative and due to the improvements, their inclination towards roadways buses has increased." Under the campaign, it was decided to get the work for 50% of RSRTC buses completed by June 15 and all buses should be completed by June 30.
Indian Express
26-05-2025
- Business
- Indian Express
Rural women from Punjab shine on international stage with phulkari art in Dubai
In an effort towards cultural preservation and women empowerment, HPCL-Mittal Energy Limited (HMEL), in collaboration with Nabha Foundation, has taken the traditional Punjabi embroidery art of phulkari to new international heights. Following its showcase in Germany earlier this year, phulkari made a powerful impression at the International Apparel and Textile Fair, the Gulf region's largest international B2B fashion trade sourcing fair, at Dubai Festival Arena from May 20 to 22. Under the ongoing phulkari project, rural women artisans from Bathinda in Punjab were given the platform to exhibit their handcrafted phulkari products. Artisan Karamjeet Kaur from the Sukhladdi village and Shubhra Singh from the NGO Nabha Foundation represented this initiative in Dubai. 'Our participation demonstrated the rich craftsmanship and cultural heritage of Punjab, earning accolades from a global audience and opening doors to new markets and partnerships,' said Shubhra Singh. Karamjeet Kaur, who recently returned from Dubai, shared her experience, stating, 'I was once just a homemaker. But through the Phulkari project, I have become self-reliant, and now, along with other women in my village, I have built an identity through this traditional craft. I never imagined I would showcase my work on international soil. It was a great learning experience.' Launched in July 2023, the phulkari initiative has trained over 300 women from 22 villages in both the technical and commercial aspects of the craft. 'This initiative not only uplifts their economic status but also contributes significantly to preserving Punjab's vibrant cultural legacy', said Vishav Mohan Prasad, deputy general manager at HMEL Bathinda. Just two months ago, in March 2025, three rural women from Bathinda had the opportunity to participate in Europe's largest creative fair, CREATIVA, held in Dortmund, Germany. The delegation included Vishav Mohan Prasad; Shubhra Singh, executive director of the Foundation; and four master trainers: Satveer Kaur (Ramsara), Manpreet Kaur (Mahinangal), Sandeep Kaur (Malkana), and Lakhbir Kaur, said a statement by HMEL Bathinda.
Time of India
11-05-2025
- Automotive
- Time of India
RSRTC records 100% passenger load for three months in a row
1 2 Jaipur: For the first time, Rajasthan State Road Transport Corporation (RSRTC) recorded over 100% passenger load for three consecutive months. Officials said that effective efforts were being made to maintain it continuously. Shubhra Singh, chairperson of RSRTC, said, "Providing better passenger facilities , state roadways achieved 100% passenger load continuously for the first time in the history of the corporation by making maximum use of all the available resources." Singh added that after the installation of a vehicle tracking system in RSRTC buses, the vehicles are being analysed regularly at the headquarters and unit level."Along with this, effective inspection of vehicles is possible, as a result of which the revenue loss of the corporation has reduced, and the passenger load has increased. Special attention is being given to passenger facilities so that the inclination of passengers towards roadways buses increases," said RSRTC, performance has also improved due to the effective use of employees. "For the first time in the corporation, 253 medically unfit drivers or conductors from various units, who are physically unable to work according to their posts due to suffering from incurable diseases, have been given light alternative work," said Singh. A committee formed at the headquarter level has been tasked with regularly checking that drivers and conductors are physically fit for the duties assigned to units have also been instructed that in future no work contrary to the post should be taken without the recommendation of the headquarters committee. Further, to meet the shortage of drivers, units have been specified for recruitment of necessary staff through Civil Defence and Rajasthan Ex-Servicemen Cooperative Limited as per the decision taken in a recent board meeting of the corporation. Officials said that drivers are being hired through agencies after permission from the headquarters to meet the requirement of drivers in the units. Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Mother's Day wishes , messages , and quotes !
