Authorities mull extending Metro bus service to Attari

Charanjit Singh Teja

Amritsar, March 8

There is a proposal to extend the Metro bus service, being run under the Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS), to the Attari-Wagah Joint Checkpost.

The authorities recently allowed visitors to watch the Retreat ceremony up to half the capacity of the stadium owing to Covid-19 threat.

Now, there is a proposal to introduce buses on the Attari route at the time of the Retreat ceremony, as hundreds of tourists visit the Attari-Wagah Joint Checkpost daily.

The daily evening ceremony, also known as the flag-lowering ceremony, is conducted between the Border Security Force (BSF) and Pakistan Rangers, jointly at the zero line.

With the Covid-19 threat diminishing, authorities have allowed around 10,000 guests, which is half the capacity of the spectators’ gallery daily.

The tourists, who stay in the city, hire taxis and auto-rickshaws to visit Attari. The Metro bus would provide a comfortable journey to visitors at minimal fare.

As per the proposal, the schedule of buses will be decided according to the Retreat ceremony’s timing.

Apart from this, it has also been considered to start bus service from India Gate to Golden Gate via Gumtala-Fatehgarh Chudian Road-Majitha-Verka Bypass-Vallah. There is no public transport on this bypass road and residents find it inconvenient to travel between these locations. However, the BRTS authorities have to develop the infrastructure for the Metro bus on the bypass road.

The proposal has also been sent to the State Transport Commissioner to start the route from Gheo Mandi to Shri Guru Ramdas Jee International Airport under BRTS. Earlier, the Metro bus was initiated on the route around seven months ago, but closed due to demonstrations by the mini-bus operators. Residents have been demanding to resume this service for the past several months.

Kulwant Singh Ankhi, an activist, said: “We have been demanding to resume the route from Gheo Mandi to Shri Guru Ramdas Jee International Airport, which provides a major relief to air passengers. The proposals are good and government should implement these soon.”

What’s in store?

• As per the proposal, the schedule of buses will be decided according to the Retreat ceremony’s timing
• Apart from this, it has also been considered to start a bus service from India Gate to Golden Gate via Gumtala-Fatehgarh Chudian Road-Majitha-Verka Bypass-Vallah. There is no public transport on this bypass road and residents find it inconvenient to travel between these locations. However, the BRTS authorities have to develop the infrastructure for the Metro bus on the bypass road