Suggested solution of transport to hilly areas |26 January 2023

Recently the Seychelles Public Transport Corporation (SPTC) announced that buses will not give service to certain areas (I believe about ten places) on bad weather particularly in hilly areas which we all understand due to safety factor which is fine.

But we have to take into consideration those people living in these places. It was sad to note a mother with her child raising her suffering on SBC. In the news we saw that India is going to give 59 buses on credit out of which ten have already arrived.

India has the capacity to produce certain types of buses specially designed to travel on hilly and risky areas even in bad weather which I have witnessed in hilly areas like Ooty, Kodaikanael, Mysore Nagaland and many more. Tata and Ashok Leyland – two major bus manufacturers in India – can easily meet any demand with more technology. Actually they are supplying buses to many African countries based on their requirement. The requirement factor varies from country to country based on physical structure of the country.

My suggestion is that since not all buses have arrived, the Government may request about nine buses to be replaced by buses designed for hilly areas with fewer seaters and safety features. The number of these buses could be increased as they cost less than big buses which shall fall within cost of 59 big buses.

This will solve the problem permanently to satisfy all people. A survey can be carried out in the affected region to find out the number of people in need who do not own transport. Based on those numbers,   specially designed buses can be introduced.

G. Siva Pillay

Past regional chairperson – Lions Club of Seychelles MJF