Roadways makes way for pvt transporters

Anupam Bhagria

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, June 1

Buses of the Punjab Roadways have not been plying on the scheduled routes in some areas for the past about three years. Private buses running on these routes are causing loss to the state exchequer. This was revealed by Pardeep Kumar, president of the Punjab Government Transport Workers Union (All India Trade Union Congress), while talking to The Tribune.

Pardeep Kumar said: “As per its time table, the Punjab Roadways, Ludhiana Depot, should ply its buses on all routes. However, the depot has not been running its buses on several routes for the past three years. These routes are from Ludhiana to Abohar, Dabwali, Ganganagar, Jaiton, Theen Dam, Naina Devi, Machhiwara, Patiala, and Rara Sahib to Chandigarh via Samrala and many others.”

He said there were no instructions in writing by the authorities to stop these routes. He alleged: “There are verbal instructions to stop these routes. However, the buses, which were earlier plying on these routes, are being sent on special routes such as Ludhiana to Delhi and other states. All this is leading to loss to the state exchequer. On the scheduled routes, the roadways used to earn Rs 30 or Rs 35/km. On the present routes, the roadways earns only Rs 17 or Rs 18/km.”