Jalandhar bus stand may go to private hands

Gagandeep Singh

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Tribune news Service

Jalandhar, January 7

Despite being one of the profitable bus stands, the Punjab Roadways is reportedly planning to give the Shaheed-e-Azam Sardar Bhagat Singh Inter-state Bus Terminal to private hands once they overtake the operational charges of bus stand on January 21.

As of now, a private company, Welspun, has been handling the operational responsibility of bus stand, which is going to end on January 21. The bus stand was constructed by the M/S MSK Project Ltd, which was later on merged with Welspun.

There have been speculations among the Punjab Roadways employees that the bus stand will be given in private hands.

As per the sources in the Punjab Roadways, estimates and surveys are being conducted to know the daily output from the bus stand.

The internal sources said that the income of bus stand for 24 hours has been evaluated Rs 1,53,380 only from bus stand fees, including Rs 1,35,850 from total big buses, Rs 9,030 from mini buses and Rs 8,500 from night buses.

Besides, there are more than 85 big and small shops inside and outside the premises of the bus stand that has already been given on rent to various individuals and provide rent from Rs 5,000 to 15,000 per month. Moreover, there are spaces for advertisement, cycle and taxi.

Punjab Roadways Depot No 1 general manager Harjinder Singh Minhas said, “As of now they are going to auction the shops on the premises of bus stand and parking lot. There is no information about giving the bus stand to any private firm.”

Meanwhile, the Punjab Roadways Joint Action Committee is conduction meetings to oppose the move. While speaking to Jalandhar Tribune, committee representative Avtar Singh Tari said, “It is such profitable bus stand and should be operated by the Punjab Roadways only.”