Come 2013 and you will see a fresh new array of low floor buses plying in Indian cities.This is not something like yet an another purchase of buses. This has a real hard work from GoI. Yes, you read it right. GoI though its MoUD - Ministry of Urban Development under JNnurm 2 - Jawaharlal Nehru urban renewal mission will be funding the purchase of these buses. As earlier, there will be part funding from GoI and the rest will be from respective state Govt. GoI funding goes upto 90% for eastern states and upto 35% to 50% for other areas. The cities are classified based on population and every city which is populated more than 1 million will be benefited with this project and the number stands at 65.
Normally state Govt funds buying of buses and their respective STU's gives basic specifications and based on which the manufactures will supply buses. But those specifications are based on manufactures availability of products and so nothing big of problem for the manufactures. But here in this case its little different.
So what is special in JNnurm2 - Lets have an insight-
Here again,MoUD(A Govt body) will give spec on behalf of STU's and its called Urban Bus Specification. All the Tom and dick wants to supply buses should comply with this specification. But here the spec is not based on manufactures availability of product and its purely based on the requirements and with a foresee on future. And due to this manufactures are developing products for the given specifications unlike usual tenders.
In JNnurm1 the max saloon floor height to be maintained was 900mm (a 2 step entry bus) and now this height is further reduced to 650mm or a single step entry. The specification is more detail and it speaks about acceleration, angle of approach/departure, braking distance, min floor area, size of door, location of doors and what not. So with all this as a spec, not all the manufacturers have the products ready. Everyone are working on their own way of meeting the specification.
The first of such a large amount of standardization was first noticed in DTC for the supply of 3000 low floor buses. Almost the engine, gear box and every thing used in the bus was given as a specification to AL and TM. Both delivered based on that.
Now again to JNnurm 2, due to the standard specifications every stake holder involved in, is getting huge advantage
For Manufacturers:
- Its the big relief to them as they need not make individual bodies for individual STU's. In JNnurm every STU's had their own spec and manufacturers has to supply based on that. Some ask for wider doors and some ask for Wheel base door and some ask for FOH doors and infact seating layout were also different. For all these types, manufacturers has to make one prototype bus, get it approved by STU and then start their production. But now they got some standardized and modular designs so that majority of their work during production is reduced.
Next, they need not shell out crores of rupees to understand and study the usage and design something. All are available off the shelf and what they need to do is to deliver products matching to it. Many specifications are referred to yet to be implemented bus body code and so it’s a time that they come out matching to that also.
For STU's:
-Better spec'd buses for their usage right from the day one. No trial on newer manufacturers products and need not worry about the performance. By and large all the necessary requirements are taken care and the spec's are arrived. So they can safely go ahead and also they will have lot of good to have features in their buses and will set an benchmark for their buses in near future.
For Commuters:
- Single biggest advantage is, all the buses procured will be low floor buses. A low floor bus is one which will have a single step entry into the bus unlike the current 2 step entry and 3 step entry of standard buses. The window height, gangway width, saloon height are all sufficiently given to accommodate more passengers in a comfortable way.
And with this you are likely to have full air suspension to make your ride more softer. But still the Air condition is only an optional feature and wish this will be standardized in JNnurm3.
For MoUD:
With one shot MoUD has turned upside down the way India travels.Because just some 8 years back we did'nt have anything much to travel apart from standard floor buses. After 2008, there was a huge popularization of semi low floor buses and now with the single step entry bus, we are now almost close to any developed bus market in world, where only Ultra low floor buses are looked as city bus and rest are all for Inter - Urban or for Inter -city usage only.
MoUD now they can start working on the next level for other mode of commutation like BRTS. Now Indian BRTS has various floors like 400mm (DTC etc), 650mm (JCTL etc) and 900mm (AJL, PMPMl etc) and with this in near future all the BRTS will have only 400mm. Also having done this huge exercise MoUD is ensuring a safe mode and comfortable mode of transport of India and can definitely be praised for this.
So how are the manufactures prepared for this – Ashok Leyland – AL was the largest supplier of buses in JNnurm1 and Viking SLF was the highest purchased bus. Now AL is likely to come up with its Janbus, which was showcased in Auto Expo 2012. And this will stand unique among the entire buses, as the only Front engine bus and rest are all will be rear engine ones.
Tata – Tata was the largest supplier of low floor buses in JNurm1 and now its experience will be leveraged for JNnurm2 also. Tata will supply based on the LPO 1624 for diesel and LPO 1623 for CNG as well. Wishing to see some colurful Marco's once again. (The Yellow, Deep orange and blue liveries for TNSTC's were too good for me)
Volvo – I can safely say it’s only JNnurm is giving revenues for its city bus products. No single STU (BMTC is excluded) has purchased 8400 in big lots after JNnurm, for the reason of higher investment. None of them are making profits and it took BMTC itself over three years to make profit from their Volvo services. Its to be understood that BMTC bus fare is almost the highest in entire India. But now Volvo’s game will start again and they will be supplying buses with price tag close to a crore and they should definitely be very much grateful to GoI and MoUD.
Eicher – For JNnurm 1, Eicher did not supply buses because they did’nt have any products in the Semi Low Floor platform. I remember they were developing front semi low platform but now its safely packed. Means even if it comes, it may not attract STU’s who are buying buses with their own funds, as they already have a well versed Viking and LPO 1618. But for JNnurm2 we can see Eicher’s pie also, as they already have a 650 mm floor height platform RESLF, and have given some 20 numbers to GSRTC.
Mercedes Benz – Travel with the Star now goes Public. With only Intercity products the Merc’s experience was limited only to Intercity passengers. With Mercedes Coming in for this JNnurm 2, its likely to be experienced by a wider crowd as well. But wish they succeed against Volvo here at least. They had already tried both 650 mm and 400 mm platform buses and no idea where they are going to compete.
Corona - They have the product ready and are running good with BMTC. And they have proved to be a low cost alternative to mighty Volvo - the space still not utilized by duopolies in Indian bus market - AL and TML.
Some Highlights:
-Over 18000 buses will be funded.
-Supply over 3 years of time.
-Annual Maintenance Contract will be awarded to manufacturers itself.
-Bus life expected to be atleast for the 12 years or 10k kms.
-Buses to be protected for smart card travel (or conductor less travel)
So Bus fans pull up your socks and get ready for hot photos
Sorry for boring if at all and anyway thanks for reading till this.
Pic copyright to respective owners.