People endure as city roads blocked

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, February 23

Drivers and conductors of mini-buses being run by the Municipal Corporation Bathinda (MCB) and the PRTC today blocked roads outside the bus stand and railway station. 

They alleged that their business was being affected as auto-rickshaw drivers, in connivance with a few policemen, were picking passengers from main areas in the city. 

They also protested against the alleged misbehaviour against one of their drivers by the police and auto-rickshaw drivers. 

The protesters alleged that auto-rickshaw drivers paid monthly or weekly bribe to policemen, as a result of which, bus drivers were not being allowed to pick passengers. 

“Auto drivers pay money to policemen at the Kotwali police station to get their support,” said Pargat Singh, a mini-bus driver, who was allegedly manhandled when he tried to pick passengers from the railway station this morning.

Protesting bus drivers haphazardly parked buses outside the railway station, bus stand and in the Gol Diggi area.

The blockade caused inconvenience to commuters, pedestrians and schoolchildren. 

Owners of shops on these roads also had heated arguments with the protesters. 

“Many commuters and children in school buses have to suffer due to the tussle between auto-rickshaw drivers and bus operators. The traffic of the entire city has got disrupted,” said Balkaran Brar, a shopkeeper at Dhobi Bazar. 

He said if bus driver and conductors had any complaint then they should go to senior police officers or civil servants, but this was no way of raising their issue. 

“If they are right, we will also support them, but harassing the public is unpardonable and a case should be registered against such acts,” Brar said.

SSP Swapan Sharma said bus operators who blocked the highway were booked for creating chaos and blocking the traffic on city roads. 

He said the policeman who was accused of misbehaving with a mini-bus operator had been sent to the Police Lines without suspension.