EMPHASISING THAT the services rendered by its employees “build the image of the government”, Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel on Friday highlighted the importance of services of drivers of Gujarat State Road Transport Corporation (GSRTC). The CM urged the drivers of GSRTC to cultivate the ability to maintain their balance under any circumstances of life since all the passengers travel without any worry with trust on the drivers.
CM Patel was addressing a public function organised by the GSRTC to handover appointment letters to 3084 drivers and 1658 helper-level officials of the corporation at Mahatma Mandir Convention Centre in Gandhinagar.
The function was also attended by Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi, Minister of State for Transport Pravin Mali, Gandhinagar Mayor Meeraben Patel and Chief Secretary M K Das, among others.
The CM said the government employees, such as drivers, have the responsibility to maintain the vehicles they drive for the facility of the people for whom they are meant.
Highlighting the importance of job of GSRTC drivers, the CM said, “Specially, you have such a big responsibility. That all the passengers in the bus are travelling without any worry with trust on you…They even sleep (in the bus). Why do they sleep? Because they trust you; that they will be dropped at their destination peacefully; it is their trust (on you).”
The CM said that everybody in the society – those with money and those without it – faces difficulties in life but they have to maintain their balance. Only those, he added, who are healthy and maintain their balance can drive properly.
“Everybody faces difficulties in life – with or without money. But we have to cultivate the ability to discharge our duties with a calm mind amid those (difficult) circumstances. And if that ability is cultivated, you can discharge the service that you are subscribing to today,” he said.
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“The government’s image is built on the basis of the services done by you,” the CM added.
Fare hiked by 3%Meanwhile, the GSRTC on December 31 announced a three per cent hike in its fare across the state. A release from the GSRTC stated that in its local services, 85 per cent passengers (approximately 10 lakhs) travel under 48 km. It also stated that upto 9 km travel, there will not be any hike in the fare. Whereas, for travel between 10 to 60 km, there will be a ‘nominal’ hike of Re 1 in fare.