Students rue lack of public transport

Harinder Singh Khaira

Patiala, April 19

Due to the lack of means of public transportation in the city, students coming from various rural and remote areas of the region are facing difficulties to reach their respective educational institutions.

As Patiala is known as an educational hub for the past several decades, students from various areas of Punjab as well as Haryana prefer to opt for city institutions for quality education. Most of them use public transport, especially buses, to commute between school/college and their homes.

Government Mohindra College, Government College for Girls and Modi College are among the worst-hit institutions due to the lack of local public transport.

“It is very difficult to reach the college during the morning hours as all means of transport remain occupied due to augmented footfall of students. We have to climb atop private buses to attend the first lecture,” said Gurkirat Singh, a BA final-year student.

“We have urged the college and the government authorities to facilitate the students with special buses. We also met the PRTC MD urging him to start a special bus in the morning connecting various colleges from the Patiala bus stand,” said Ramandeep Kaur, a student of Mohindra College.

She said members of the parent-teacher association also accompanied them to request for a special bus from the PRTC.

Sukhbir Singh Thind, principal of Mohindra College, said: “We, along with students and their parents, have requested the PRTC management to start local bus service within the city for the convenience of students.”

Meanwhile, MD PRTC MS Narang said: “We will soon start a special bus for students in the morning hours. It will connect various educational institutions in the city, which will help the students to reach there in time.”