Launched in June this year, ViTCOS had agreed on a 50 per cent concession for the students and 20 per cent for the daily commuters, while leaving out a major chunk of the differently-abled population.
Under the state government guidelines, the differently-abled enjoyed 100 per cent concession in state-owned buses while the attendants of persons with 75 per cent disability, enjoyed a 50 per cent concession.
Narendra Patel, trustee and founder of Society of Physically Handicap said: “The students received a concession, but we had to pay in full. Many belong to the economically weaker section of society. We had requested the ViTCOS authorities for a concession, which they did not entertain. We had also submitted numerous petitions to the commissioner and other government bodies to take up the matter."
He added: "We are bound to get concession benefits as per the guidelines of the Disability Act and though ViTCOS is a private body, the government should find a middle path for our sake.”
The ViTCOS has now settled for a 20 per cent subsidy. Patel said though it is very less, they have still accepted it.
ViTCOS authorities said being a private player they never receive any aid from the state government. All subsidies being provided by ViTCOS is borne by the company, said Haresh Dodiya, a member of the ViTCOS Board of Directors.
At present, over 46 ViTCOS buses ply in the city and more are expected to hit the road soon. But concessions remain a major hassle and many organisations of the differently-abled complain of a lack of coordination.
"There is a serious dearth of coordination between the Social Defence Office (SDO) and the transportation bodies and it is the differently-abled who suffer as a result of this discord. Due to lack of information, many a time the differently-abled passengers have to pay the full fare for travelling on the intercity superfast buses because the ViTCOS refuse to recognise their disability cards,” said Vinodini Mayor, secretary of the V-One Society.