Residents oppose proposal to shift Barnala bus stand

Parvesh Sharma

Tribune News Service

Barnala, June 15

Residents have opposed the Local Bodies Department’s proposal to shift the bus stand outside the city.

The department has written to the local Municipal Council asking it to identify suitable land to construct a new bus stand on the outskirts of Barnala.

The department wants to construct the new bus stand under the private-public partnership (PPP) mode.

“The Barnala bus stand is already situated at the best location. Shifting it outside the city is not a wise decision,” said Sanjeev Shourie, president, Municipal Council.

In the letter, the Director of the Local Bodies Department has stated that a proposal to construct 14 new bus stands across Punjab was approved during the 143th meeting of the Punjab Infrastructure Development Board (PIDB).

Later, another meeting of the Sectorial Sub Committee (SSC) was held under the chairmanship of the Managing Director of the PIDB on April 24 this year.

Sources said land was already identified in Nakodar and Balachaur while the civic bodies of Kartarpur, Raikot, Mansa and Barnala had been directed to identify suitable land to construct bus stands.

The residents said the authorities had decided to shift the bus stand outside Barnala city without their consent.

“Not a single resident demanded the shifting of the bus stand to outside the city. On its construction, the government will spend crores of rupees and it will only trouble residents who will have to go outside the city to board buses,” said Sunil Kumar, a college student.

Some shopkeepers alleged that the shifting of the bus stand would affect their business. They demanded that the department should immediately withdrawal its decision.

“The government should invest money on providing other facilities to residents. We already have a proper bus stand in the city,” said Ramandeep, a shopkeeper.

MC president Shourie said they would write to the Director of the Local Bodies Department that there was no need for the new bus stand.

He added that they would oppose the move.