You can’t browse through newspapers at ISBT

Neeraj Bagga

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, December 12

Shahid Madan Lal Dhingra Inter State Bus Terminus (ISBT) does not even have a single newspaper stand.

Famous for Golden Temple and other historical landmarks, the city receives tourists from all over the world, yet the ISBT does not even have a single newspaper stand.

A local resident, Rajinder Kumar Sharma, said he had to wait for some time to catch a bus to his destination at the ISBT. “I enquired from every vendor but nobody was selling any newspaper or magazine.” Further enquiry revealed that not even a single vend was allotted for the sale of current affairs magazines or newspapers.” he added.

Another local resident, Naresh Johar, said successive governments were making efforts to elevate the city into a metropolitan city. To realise this, spread of information is essential.

“Spread over eight acres, the bus stand with a basement area of more than 4,000 square metres was built according to international standards,” he said. However, he regretted that there was no space to sell newspapers, magazines and books.

Officials of the depot 1 said the management of the ISBT had been given to a private concern. They said the private concern had reserved a certain rate per day for a newspaper vend, which vendors were reluctant to pay, citing low profits.