Indore, which has been named the cleanest city four times in a row, has added yet another feather to its crown, this time in the sector of public transportation.
The Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs has chosen Atal Indore City Bus Transport Limited, which is operated by the Indore Municipal Corporation, for the Award for Excellence in Urban Transportation (City with Most Innovative Financing Mechanism) category.
Union housing and urban affairs minister Hardeep Singh Puri will present the award to Indore municipal commissioner Pratibha Pal in Delhi at 8 pm on October 29.
Pal said that innovations are being made by AICTSL in innovative business model, under which buses are being operated through CNG keeping in view the environmental conservation. “Along with this, BRTS, Inter State and Local City buses are being operated successfully for the last several years,” she added.
On 26 January 2006, for the first time in the country, 40 city buses were started in Indore under Public Private Partnership. Now 540 buses are being operated by AICTSL. In this, 380 buses are running in the city, while 160 buses are being run outside the city. At present, there are 100 CNG operated buses in the city. Apart from this, 12 bio CNG buses are being run in Indore and plans are afoot to roll out 400 buses in the days to come.
