The Gazetteers Department

Introduction : The history of passenger transport in the Vidarbha region dates back to the year 1942 when M/s. Mechanical Transport Ltd. started transport of passengers. This companv sponsored the Nagpur Omnibus companv in 1945 under its managing agency. In the subsequent years the name of the company was changed to the Provincial Transport Company Ltd. and M/s. Mechanical Transport continued to be the managing agent. However the Government assumed the managing agency rights of the M/s. Mechanical Transport and reorganised the Hoard of Directors. Upto 1955 the company functioned as a joint-stock company when the Government brought the same under its control and named it as ''the Provincial Transport Services". In order to co-ordinate the activities of the three organisations viz., the Bombay State Road ''Transport Corporation, the Marathwada State Transport and the Provincial Transport Services were merged in 1961, into a single corporation viz the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation, Bombay.

For administrative convenience of operating the services the erstwhile Bombay State was originally divided into 16 viable units called divisions. After the Reorganisation of the States in 1956, three units were transferred to Mysore State leaving 13 divisions. With the bifurcation of the bilingual Bombay State on May 1, I960, five northern divisions were transferred to the Gujarat State leaving 8 divisions in the residual corporation in Maharashtra. With the merger of the Public Transport Services, Nagpur in the Vidarbha region and the State Transport Services in the Marathwada region with effect from duly 1, 1961, two new divisions were created. Simultaneously, the name of the Corporation was changed from 'Bombay State Road Transport Corporation' to 'Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation.' The Corporation is, at present, divided in 17 divisions.

Organisation : The Divisional Controller is the head of the division and is responsible for the operations. He is under the immediate control of the Central Office of which the General Manager is the administrative head, He is assisted by 11 class II officers who are charged with the following functional responsibilities.

(1) Administration, (2) Traffic, (3) Mechanical Engineering, (4) Accounts and Audit, (5) Statistics, (6) Security. (7) Stores, (5) Civil Engineering, (9) Secretariat, (10) Legal and (11) Central Workshops.

The Divisional Traffic Officer is in charge of all matters relating to traffic and operation and the Labour Officer looks after all matters relating to labour relations with the administration. Matters relating to publicity in the division are also looked after by the Labour Officer.

The Divisional Accounts Officer and the Divisional Statistician look after the work in connection with accounts and statistics. The technical side of the division is looked after by the Divisional Mechanical Engineer assisted by the Divisional Works Superintendent. In addition, there are as many Depot Managers as there are depots who are wholly responsible for the working of the respective depots in the division.

Depots: The operations in the Akola district were first started from Akola depot on March 1, 1963 with 18 vehicles operating on 17 routes with a total of 1,484.2 route kilometres. By the cud of March 1969, the strength of the two depots in the district viz., Akola and Washim was raised to 76 and 43, respectively. In all 112 routes were in operation from these two depots with a total of 8,102.4 route kilometres. On an average 20,633 and 7,039 passengers were carried per day from each of these two depots, respectively.

On 31st March, 1969, the Akola Division of which Akola district forms a part, was holding 222 buses, plying on 201 routes with a total route length of 12,677 kilometres. The buses put on road have, on an average, a seating capacity of 49.8 excluding the seats of the driver and the conductor. The average daily run of these buses during March 1969 was 50,341 km. carrying, on an average, 57,263 passengers per day.

Maintenance: The light and heavy repairs of the buses are carried out at the Divisional Workshop situated at Akola. After the operation of every 24,000 kilometres, the vehicles are routed by the depots to the Divisional Workshop for preventive maintenance. In addition, there are two depots in the district situated at Akola (76) [ Number of vehicles attached to each depot is given in brackets.] and Washim (43) [ Number of vehicles attached to each depot is given in brackets.] for the daily maintenance of the vehicles. Regular daily and weekly servicing and 8,000 kilometres docking for maintenance are carried out in these depots.

For the convenience of the travelling public the Corporation has provided amenities in the district. A bus station has been provided at Akola and a passengers shed at Washim. In addition, waiting rooms have been provided at each of these places. Refreshment rooms have also been provided at Akola and Wadegaon, besides pan and sugarcane juice stalls at Akola. Pick-up stands are located at Akot, Datala, Kapashi, Kutasaphate, Loni, Medshi, Rithad and Wadegaon.

Welfare: The Corporation also provides welfare facilities to its employees. A labour welfare centre, which provides for indoor games and recreational facilities, is functioning at Akola. In addition to this, medical dispensaries are run at Akola and Washim. There are rest rooms at Akola, Balapur, Karanja, Loni, Malegaon, Risod and Washim.

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