With 70% stake, politicians key driving force behind pvt buses

CHANDIGARH: Apart from Sukhbir Singh Badal and his family, who own over 230 buses in around four transport companies, there are several other politicians cutting across party lines who are involved in the highly lucrative transport business in Punjab.

Jupinderjit Singh

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, May 5

Apart from Sukhbir Singh Badal and his family, who own over 230 buses in around four transport companies, there are several other politicians cutting across party lines who are involved in the highly lucrative transport business in Punjab.

Data available with the State Transport Commission (STC) reveals that Punjab has about 5,000 private buses as compared to about 2,500 buses of the government-run Punjab Roadways and the PRTC.

Sources in the STC said over 70 per cent of the private buses were directly or indirectly linked to politicians. Of these, at least 600 buses are directly linked to prominent political families. The state is witnessing an outrage against the Badals’owned Orbit bus company over the Moga molestation incident. Another bus run by Rajdeep Bus Service is also in news for alleged molestation of a girl near Khanna where an FIR was lodged and two of bus staff were arrested.

The bus belongs to Congress youth leader Rajdeep Singh. The STC data reveals that Rajdeep Bus Service has more than 20 buses.

The number of private buses in the state has doubled in the last two decades while the public transport has seen a reduction of about 1,000 buses.

Avtar Henry, former Congress MLA and minister, owns about 80 buses under Kartar Bus Service. Former Congress Revenue Minister Amarjit Singh Samra has 43 buses under Prince Bus Service. His family also controls DMS Roadways having 14 buses.

Harmail Singh, State Transport Commissioner, said there was no bar on the politicians running transport companies. “Everyone has to earn his living. We have not come across any situation of conflict of interest,” he said. The data reveals that former Congress MLA Jasbir Dimpa’s company New Pyar Bus Service has 26 buses. Another Congress leader Kikki Dhillon, considered close to former Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh, owns 30 buses under Green Bus Service.

BJP leader Jagdish Sahni of Batala has 27 buses in the name of New Mid Bhawra Transport and Sahni Transport Ltd. Manpreet Badal, president, People’s Party of Punjab, owns five buses under Raghu Raj Service. Former Speaker Nirmal Singh Kahlon has about 40 buses under Baba Budha Dal Bus Service.

Hardeep Dimpa, SAD Gidderbaha in charge, has a fleet of 60 buses under New Deep Bus Service. Former Congress media adviser Bharat Inder Singh Chahal’s wife Jaswinder Kaur owns a bus under Universal Bus Service as per the STC records.

In contrast, Haryana has 4,000 government buses and 865 private. Contrary to Punjab, no private transporter has permit for major routes on the national highways. Most private buses in Haryana run within a district while in Punjab the private transporters have monopoly on long routes.