mumbai one bus already on the road 30 by october that is the best plan for those in the city who do not let a physical disability get in the way of their workan automaker asked by the public utility to make speciallydesigned buses for the physically challenged has told bombay high court that it will be able to put 30 of them on the road by this octoberthe city already has one of the special lowfloor buses on the road it hit mumbais streets on friday although it is yet to make a major impactthe citys search for buses that would give its physicallychallenged population a greater degree of mobility and a greater degree of comfort began when ngos adapt and fellowship for the physically handicapped fph filed a petition in the bombay high court and asked for buses specially designed for this largelyignored segment of the populationbest agreed but according to complaints it reponded to by apportioning blame on the manufacturers of the bus slipped up on the deadlinethe pil therefore has already been heard several times the latest on tuesday with the court being forced to ask the agencies the reasons for the delay so when best blamed the manufacturers for the delay the auto major promptly said their plans were being held up by the automotive research association of indiathis was the agencythat was supposed to approve the prototype of the bus being introduced for the first time in the country and its delay had in turn delayed the plans for the launch of the bus the high court was toldthe court then ordered the agencies to put five buses on the road by junebest officials said they did not have any problem with the judicial order the makers said they would put 30 on the road by octoberbut the bus is much better than the rigmarole preceding its commissioningthe first of the steps is only 36 centimetres above the level of the ground low enough to give the physically challenged a leg up when they board itand the bus has a ramp that can slide down on to the tarmac to let a wheelchairbound person get on or off the buseach bus has space for about two wheelchairs they can be locked to the floor of the bus to give greater comfort to passengersthere are other seats which are foldable and give others a chance to sit when the space for the wheelchairs is emptythe bus that is now on the road can carry a maximum of 26 passengers including two wheelchairbound passengers and three others with severe disablitiesthe ones which will be inducted into the fleet will carry 30 passengerseach bus costs a fortune coming at exactly rs 1529382