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11 million passengers ditch Maharashtra state buses

Published

9 years ago

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Mumbai: Once the pride of the state, the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) has lost a whopping 11.32 million passengers and consequently accumulated losses of Rs.1,934 crore last year, a Right to Information query has revealed.

RTI activist Anil Galgali sought details on the performance of the MSRTC on the passengers using its buses, fare charges and the expenses.

MSRTC deputy general manager S.D. Mainhalikar informed him that in 2014-2015, around 245,60,33,000 passengers travelled by ST buses compared to 256,60,65,000 during the previous year — a staggering decline of 11,32,00,000 in just a year.

In contrast, the corporation earned Rs.25.94 per km in 2013-2014 against an expenditure of Rs.35.22 per km. The expense shot up to Rs.36.85 in 2014-2015 against an income of Rs.27.57 per km.

The fleet of state-run buses logged 208,48,55,000 km in 2014-2015 compared to 204,65,74,000 km the previous year.

While the corporation’s total expenditure stood at Rs.5748,11,02,000 in 2013-2014, it increased Rs.7682,88,83,000 this year, adding to the mountain of losses, Galgali pointed out.

Last year, the accumulated loss stood at Rs.1899,02,65,000, which has grown to Rs.1934,77,81,000, notching an increase of Rs.35,75,16,000.

This year, the total income was Rs.5308,53,85,000 against an expenditure of Rs.7207,56,50,000.

Galgali urged Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to come up with a concrete action plan to revive and save the MSRTC from dying by reducing passenger taxes on the lines of Gujarat and Karnataka.

“The CM must give strict instructions to monitor and rein in MSRTC’s ever-growing expenses, especially since the bureaucrats seem to be taking no steps in this direction,” Galgali told IANS.

“Some level of accountability fixing on the concerned officials would help MSRTC which serves the poorest of poor in the remotest corners of the state,” he added.

On the steep decline in just one year, Galgali said this could be due to many private operators exploiting MSRTC’s shortcomings by providing convenient connections, higher comfort and cleanliness levels, options of ordinary, deluxe and air-conditioned services with efficiency to the passengers.

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What monkey fled with a bag containing evidence in it: Read full story

Published

2 years ago

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May 5, 2022

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The court, generally, considers a person who commit a crime and the one who destroys the evidence, as criminals in the eyes of law. But what if an animal destroys the evidence of a crime committed by a human.

In a peculiar incident in Rajasthan, a monkey fled away with the evidence collected by the police in a murder case. The stolen evidence included the murder weapon (a blood-stained knife).

The incident came to light when the police appeared before the court and they had to provide the evidence in the hearing.

The hearing was about the crime which took place in September 2016, in which a person named Shashikant Sharma died at a primary health center under Chandwaji police station. After the body was found, the deceased’s relatives blocked the Jaipur-Delhi highway, demanding an inquiry into the matter.

Following the investigation, the police had arrested Rahul Kandera and Mohanlal Kandera, residents of Chandwaji in relation to the murder. But, when the time came to produce the evidence related to the case, it was found that the police had no evidence with them because a monkey had stolen it from them.

In the court, the police said that the knife, which was the primary evidence, was also taken by the monkey. The cops informed that the evidence of the case was kept in a bag, which was being taken to the court.

The evidence bag contained the knife and 15 other important evidences. However, due to the lack of space in the malkhana, a bag full of evidence was kept under a tree, which led to the incident.

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