Reduction in fare of Metro bus on the cards

Charanjit Singh Teja

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, December 25

After taking over the Bus Rapid Transit System from the Punjab Infrastructure Development Board (PIDB) two months ago, the Local Government Department has devised a strategy to make the Metro bus service more efficient.

The BRTS authorities would be able to make changes in routes and fare with permission of executive committee members.

Inderjeet Singh Chawala, CEO, BRTS, said, “We have made a proposal to revise the bus fare to attract more passengers. The fare slabs will be revised. Now, we are charging Rs5 for a distance of 0 to 3 km. After the revision, passengers have to pay Rs5 for 0 to 6 km. The bus will become more economical for residents. No other mode of transport will be able to compete with the Metro bus after the revision of fare.”

The BRTS authorities would submit the proposal to revise fare to the executive committee members. After the nod, fares would be implemented.

Apart from this, the BRTS has been planning to amend routes of the Metro bus. There is no bus stop, which connects the BRTS lane with the old city and Golden Temple. The authorities observed huge potential in the old city and tourist circuits.

The BRTS officials plan to connect the BRTS lane with the Hall Bazaar. The connectivity with tourist circuits would attract more passengers, especially devotees who visit the Golden Temple.

However, one of the stations at Ram Bagh has been under construction. The officials claimed that the said station would be made operational soon.