Rs4bn bill for free transport

But the programme has not been without its share of problems. Prime Minister Navin Ramgoolam has publicly said in the past that the government will review the scheme as there have been reported cases of abuse by bus operators.

Rs3,962,691,864 – that’s the exact figure which the government has paid for the free transport scheme in Mauritius and Rodrigues. Individual operators have had the lion’s share, with more than Rs1.7 billion. With regard to bus companies, the government has disbursed more than Rs 2.1 billion.

The National Transport Corporation tops the list having received Rs since the introduction of free transport. Next comes United Bus Service with Rs567 million. Triolet Bus Service was paid Rs363 million, while Rose-Hill Transport received Rs166.5 million.

Mauritian Bus Transport, a company based in the northern village of Long Mountain, was paid Rs66.6 million. In its introductory year (2005-2006), free transport cost the government more than Rs481 million. In 2006-2007, this increased to Rs590 million.

The increasing trend was observed in 2007-2008 with free transport costing the government Rs639 million and in 2008-2009 the bill was a record Rs770 million. From July to December 2009, the government disbursed more than Rs384 million to finance the transport scheme.

But for last year, a decrease was noted with free transport expenses reaching Rs769 million. For the first quarter of 2011, the cost was Rs327 million. The free transport scheme, although aiming at encouraging students to go to school, has been criticised.

According to the National Transport Authority, 877 complaints have been received from 2008 to 2010. These were made against drivers and conductors who behaved rudely towards students and pensioners and who even deliberately refused to take them on board at times.

From 2008 to 2010, 77 drivers, 134 conductors and 14 bus owners have been suspended for a period ranging from two weeks to six months. A bus conductor has also been convicted to three months imprisonment for having assaulted a college student in 2008.

In order to further monitor the free transport scheme, the government has set up a Central Monitoring Committee comprising representatives of the NTA, different ministries and bus operators.