Jaipur-Mumbai Volvo bus service not financially viable: Beniwal

JAIPUR: After abandoning the Jaipur-Mumbai and Jaipur-Surat Volvo bus services for want of passengers, the state road transport department has started Udaipur-Mumbai non-AC sleeper bus service from April 16.
The Opposition alleged that the Jaipur-Mumbai Volvo bus could not get enough passengers as the transport department failed to put up a proper ticket booking counter in Mumbai.State transport minister Virendra Beniwal, however, denied the charge.
"The Jaipur-Mumbai distance being long, the passengers did not prefer a bus ride. The state transport department was suffering a loss of Rs 16 per km on this route, forcing us abandon the Volvo bus service," the transport minister told the House.
He added that the non-Volvo bus services were being continued on the Jaipur-Mumbai route. "From April 16 we have started the non-AC sleeper bus service between Udaipur and Mumbai," Beniwal said. The minister informed the House about how the department tried to continue the Jaipur-Surat Volvo bus service by making changes in its route, but the project still could not become financially viable.