Pvt bus operators ‘mistreat’ the elderly over half fare

Ravinder Saini

Senior citizens in Jhajjar district are up in arms against private transporters allegedly for charging full bus fare and not letting them travel on their buses so that they can evade 50 per cent concession in fare as per the policies of the state government.

They have raised the issue before the authorities concerned many times but to no avail. Many elderly people now choose not to travel in private buses due to the “rude” attitude of these bus conductors towards them. 

More than 125 private buses run on various routes in the district on a daily basis.

Kasturi Lal Gupta, a resident of Bahadurgarh, says he has faced the “uncivilised” behaviour of private bus conductors many times during the past some months.

“Initially, they try to not let any senior citizen board the bus. Somehow if he/she boards it, then they charge full fare from them without caring about the policies framed by the state government. They even do not hesitate to make senior citizens disembark from the bus midway,” he asserts.

Gupta, who superannuated from the Power Corporation, recalls that he was to go to Charkhi Dadri in August. Since roadways’ services to Dadri are insufficient, he decided to catch a private bus.

“I boarded a private bus from Bahadurgarh town against the wishes of the bus conductor who charged full bus fare up to Jhajjar city from me. When I argued with him and referred to the government policies, he made me get down at Jhajjar stating that the bus is not going to Dadri,” says Kasturi Lal Gupta, adding that then, he had to face a lot of inconvenience in reaching his destination.

Gupta maintains this is a routine affair and senior citizens are disrespected by conductors of private buses daily not only in Jhajjar district, but also across the state.

“Senior citizens have to travel on private buses due to lack of roadways’ bus services on several routes,” he adds.

Balwan Singh, retired employee of Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC), says he has started avoiding travel in private buses in view of the “rude” behaviour of their driver/conductor.

“On the one hand, the state government considers senior citizens as its assets while on the other, private bus operators do not leave any chance to disrespect them. Hence, the authorities concerned should come forward to check such behaviour in private buses so that senior citizens can get the benefit of government policies,” said Dharambir Yadav, another senior citizen.

He claimed a private bus conductor charged full fare from him despite resistance when he travelled to Gurugram recently.

NK Garg, General Manager at Jhajjar depot of Haryana Roadways, says the government policy about concession in bus fare for senior citizens is applicable to private buses. “As private buses come under the jurisdiction of the Road Transport Authority (RTA), we forward the complaints received against private buses to the RTA for appropriate action,” he added.

I boarded a private bus from Bahadurgarh town against the wishes of the bus conductor who charged full bus fare up to Jhajjar city from me. When I argued with him and referred to the government policies, he made me get down at Jhajjar stating that the bus is not going to Dadri. —Kasturi Lal Gupta