Nationalization Plans completed
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AS finally approved, the nationalization of road passenger transport in the city of Madras is expected to be completed by January 1, 1948, by which time all the 187 buses now being run by private operators will have been replaced by an equal number of new buses purchased by the Government of Madras.
As reported in "The Commercial Motor" on October 24, the Government wants to increase the total number of buses gradually to a target of 300. There will then be a complete realignment of routes to provide radial and the parallel systems.
Mr. D. D. Sathe, secretary of the Central Road Traffic Board, said that during the transition period, the city operators will continue to run their full complement of buses and reduce the number only on the introduction of an equivalent number of State buses.
A five-man Transport Board for the administration of the Government buses has been set up. The Board, which will function as an advisory body, consists of the following:—The Transport Commissioner or his nominee (chairman), the Mayor of Madras or his nominee, one member nominated from among the members of the Madras Legislature, one elected to represent the general public of Madras, and the Deputy Commissioner of Police (Traffic and Licensing).
A demand for the nationalization of goods road transport has been made by the working committee of the Madras Provincial Motor Transport and General Workers' Federation. The committee urged that the present lorry service of the Civil Supplies Department should serve as a model and should expand into a nationalized system.
The Government of the Central Provinces of India has set up a new Transport Department in connection with the nationalizaticin of road transport in the Province. The Government hopes to see the process of nationalization in full swing by the beginning of next year.