Bus shelter within Kochi Corporation limits, government Order ran over norm
Kochi: The Government Order issued during the tenure of the previous UDF government allowing a PWD subsidiary to construct bus shelters within Corporation limits and rake in ad revenue is in violation of the ‘Nagarpalika’ Act, 1992, which stipulates that local bodies are the final authority in deciding matters such as bus-shelters, according to experts.
Pratheeksha Bus Shelters Kerala Limited (PBSKL), incorporated as a public limited company in June 2013 through a Government Order, is constructing a total of 34 bus shelters under the Kochi Corporation area and thereby denting its ad revenue sources. Already, the construction of nine such shelters at prime locations in the city has been completed.
“As per the 12th schedule of the 74th Amendment (Nagarpalika) Act, 1992, local bodies should decide on factors like where to build bus stops through a Traffic Regulatory Committee. The previous government had formed the Special Purpose Vehicle (PBSKL) and given powers unconstitutionally. The government should have another look into the initiative because it affects the revenue source of local bodies in a major way,” said K J Sohan, former town planning committee chairman of the City Corporation.
The PBSKL sub-leased advertising rights to two agencies as it planned to construct a total of 34 bus shelters in the city.
However, when contacted, P R Santosh Kumar, Managing Director, PBSKL, said the Government Order empowered the company to set up bus-shelters on all the roads maintained by the PWD anywhere in the state.
The company started actual construction works just six months back and received Rs 30 lakh in revenue through advertisement during the “take off period” and is all set to expand its activities in a major way.
“The company has made Rs 30 lakhs and this amount is not used for any purposes like road repair or construction activities. This is because we have no budgetary allowance and have to find income sources on our own. We meet the staff salary from the ad revenue and the remaining we submit to the government,” Kumar said.
An official of the advertising agency which has taken the sub-lease contract from PBSKL, said, “We are building modern bus-shelters and have to regularly maintain it unlike the ones existing. A total of 7000 modern bus-shelters will be set up across the state.”
