PRTC told to end dispute between bus operators over route

BATHINDA: To end a dispute between private bus operators over the issue of new timetable for buses on the Rama-Rampura Phul route, the Pepsu Road Transport Corporation (PRTC), on the directions of the Regional Transport Authority (RTA), held a meeting with private bus operators and made appropriate changes in the timetable with their consensus.

A PRTC official and private bus operators during a meeting at the bus stand in Bathinda on Friday. Photo: Vijay Kumar

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, February 16

To end a dispute between private bus operators over the issue of new timetable for buses on the Rama-Rampura Phul route, the Pepsu Road Transport Corporation (PRTC), on the directions of the Regional Transport Authority (RTA), held a meeting with private bus operators and made appropriate changes in the timetable with their consensus. The meeting, that took place between PRTC officials and private bus operators, lasted around two and a half hours at the city bus stand.

During the meeting, private bus operators’ first demand was to include the left-out Dashmesh Bus Service in the new timetable. Secondly, the PRTC will ensure that no clubbing of same private bus services should be occurred in the timetable. Thirdly, without permit and validity approval no buses will be included in the timetable. Lastly, the authority concerned will provide an equal time slot to all the buses at a counter whether it is a state-run bus or private bus.

It is pertinent to mention that there are around 96 permits and around 30 private bus operators ply on the Rama-Rampura Phul route.

Harvinder Singh, president of the private bus union, said, “Now, we have told the PRTC Time Table Inspector (TTI) to make these needful changes and include the leftout buses in the new timetable on the Rama-Rampura Phul route. Besides, now it depends on the officials concerned whether they are going to make these needful changes or not.”

He further stated that if the PRTC would not make these changes then they would raise an objection over the timetable.

Davender Singh, TTI, PRTC, said, “We have listened to all the grievances of private bus operators over the issue of new timetable for buses on the Rama-Rampura Phul route. Now, we are making all the needful changes in the timetable and then we will present it to the RTA on February 19 for the final approval.” Regional Transport Authority (RTA) Secretary Udaydeep Singh Sidhu said, “After the consensus of the private bus operators over the new bus timetable on the Rama-Rampura Phul route. We will make a new timetable on other bus routes as well.”