GSRTC in top gear for the millennium

AHMEDABAD, Dec 1: Quick to cash in on the millennium mania, the Gujarat State Road Transport Corporation (GSRTC) has decided to introduce super-luxury millennium coaches from January 1. To be designed on the lines of the Delhi-Lahore bus, these air-conditioned coaches will have 32 seats each.

“We will usher in the new century by introducing two long-route millennium buses. They will be launched on January 1 and by Gujarat Day (May 1), the GSRTC will have introduced all the 20 millennium coaches in the State,” GSRTC chairperson Kamlesh Patel told Express Newsline. He said besides audio-video facilities, passengers would be provided breakfast, lunch and bottled water. “The millennium buses are being introduced to ensure non-resident Indians and non-resident Gujaratis, who visit different parts of the entire State, get their money’s worth,” Patel said. Stating fare and routes for the millennium coaches were yet to be finalised, the GSRTC chairperson said the first 10 routes of the buses would be named after 10 great sons of Gujarat like Mahatma Gandhi and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. “Video and audio shows depicting the history of the State will also be held on board to create awareness among local businessmen, NRIs and NRGs,” Patel informed.

Stating that the GSRTC was planning to purchase all the millennium coaches from Tata and Leyland companies, Patel said the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation would have to fork out Rs 24 lakh for each bus.

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Though the brains behind this novel concept are State Transport Minister and Patel himself, “we were inspired by Chief Minister Keshubhai Patel who always goaded us to do something different in the millennium year,” Patel says.

Besides millennium coaches, the GSRTC was also planning to introduce 450 buses which would be named Parivartan Express.