Private bus owners make huge profits

Bharat Khanna

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Tribune News Service

Bathinda, December 15

A number of bus operators in Bathinda and Mansa, who ferried supporters for the Akali rally in their vehicles, were paid too less as compared to Congress leaders, who paid double profit to bus owners for hiring people for their rally held in Goniana block today.

To flaunt their strength, Akali leaders ferried people in about 25 normal buses each from Bathinda and Mansa to Patiala to cover around 200 km while the owners were paid Rs 6,500 for each bus. No mini-bus was taken to the rally of the Akali Dal in Patiala.

On the other hand, Congress leaders paid about Rs 4,000 for mini-buses and Rs 7,000 for normal buses to ferry volunteers, supporters and workers of the party to the rally held at Goniana block in Bathinda district.

About 175 buses from Bathinda were taken to the Congress rally venue, out of which 100 were mini-buses.

The to and fro distance from the Bathinda bus stand to the venue of the Congress rally is not more than 18 km.

The buses of ruling politicians, including Orbit Bus Transport, said to be owned by Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal and his family, and Deep Transport, being run by SAD (B) Gidderbaha constituency in-charge-cum-Sukbhir’s confidant, did not ply on road for the purpose.

A Bathinda-based bus transporter, on condition of anonymity, said, “It happens every time. Whenever there is a rally, the ruling SAD (B) issues a diktat to bus transporters to provide buses. Many times, bus owners are not paid even a penny while sometimes they are paid the price of fuel. This time, about 200 km was covered at Rs 6,500 for Akali rally, causing loss to the bus transporters, whereas Congress leaders paid us more than 200 per cent profit.”

Commuters left in lurch

A large number of commuters were left in a lurch, including those who use to travel in mini-buses. The remaining buses were seen overcrowded.

“I am a daily commuter and have to go to Bhucho but there were no buses. Those that were available came after long intervals. I preferred to move on a tractor like many others but roads were too congested with traffic and that remained a nuisance for all of us,” said, a resident of Bhucho, Jasvir Singh.