Madam Speaker, in my replies to PQs B/84 and B/22 at the Sittings of 17 December 2024 and 04 February 2025, the House was apprised of the operational situation on buses from St Hubert to Curepipe and Mahebourg, as well as the measures being implemented by the NLTA to address irregularities and to improve service delivery thereto. My Ministry is cognisant of the persistent transport problems faced by inhabitants of the region for their daily communing needs. Following representations made to me by elected Members of Constituency No. 11, yourself, hon. Ms Babooram and hon. Ramdass, and other complaints received on malpractices occurring along Route no. 87, an enquiry was carried out at the level of my Ministry. That enquiry disclosed that the operations record filled by bus operators for compensation payments and subsidies with the NLTA had been falsified. The matter was consequently referred to CCID for investigation during the course of 2025. I am not too sure whether this has been done very often, but we did it. Madam Speaker, I am informed by the NLTA that there are currently seven buses which are licensed to operate along Route 87. Of these buses, three buses are operated by the individual bus operators and three buses by the NTC while one bus owned by an individual operator is presently off road due to major repairs. I am further informed that the passenger demand is relatively low along that corridor particularly along the segment from St Hubert to Riche-en-Eau via St Hilaire up to the junction of Deux Bras Road, New Grove. I am made to understand that as buses proceed beyond New Grove and overlap with other routes, passenger accommodation becomes normal and some vacant seats are generally observed. However, in the light of ongoing representations from the inhabitants, several meetings have also been held by the NLTA with the NTC and individual bus operators to ensure that services are operated in accordance with the approved timetable. Verification by the NLTA confirmed that the bus services, including school services from Curepipe, were generally being provided at an interval of 30 minutes. The NLTA is also closely monitoring bus operation along that route since mid of February 2026. In cases where a bus is temporarily off road, buses from nearby routes are redirected along Route 87 by the NLTA as an interim measure to serve the commuters. Madam Speaker, I have to point out that, most importantly, I have directed the NLTA to carry out an assessment of bus services along the island and to identify all routes along which additional buses may be required. The exercise is ongoing and there have been notices in the press recently. Based on the outcome of this survey, the NLTA will review the current bus allocation to ensure adequacy of public bus transport along routes, including St Hubert, St Hilaire and neighbouring villages. Madam Speaker, very importantly, I have also been made aware that bus operators may not be providing services to the satisfaction of commuters along several routes despite that they benefit from government subsidies. In this respect, I wish to inform the House and the public who travels by bus that after much effort at my Ministry, the tender exercise for the design, supply, installation, testing and commissioning of a fleet management system for public buses which will comprise an automatic location system, a bus information system, a chef de gare application and a central control system, amongst others, was floated internationally on the government’s e- procurement website on 21 January 2026. The closing date is scheduled for 24 March 2026, that is, next Tuesday, in a week’s time. Madam Speaker, I am confident that with this paradigm shift, with the use of technology, this system which uses GPS will go a long way to improve service essentially in the following ways – (i) To ensure that the bus companies provide the required number of trips for which they are paid for, and (ii) To allow the travelling public to know the Expected Time of Arrival (ETA) of their buses either on their mobile phones or on display panels. Thank you.

Thank you. Yes, you are alright? Third Member for Port Louis South and Port-Louis Central, Dr. F. Aumeer! PUBLIC HOSPITALS – MORTUARY FACILITIES – CAPACITY MANAGEMENT