Nine months on, old bus stand of Patiala made operational again
Mohit Khanna
Patiala, March 12
After a long wait of nearly nine months, the old bus stand was again made operational today. Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, while interacting with industrialists during the “Sarkar Vyapar Milni” programme on Monday, had announced that the bus service in the radius of 40 km would be resumed from the bus stand from Tuesday.
Ranjodh Singh Hadana, Chairman, Pepsu Road Transport Corporation (PRTC), said 25 mini-buses ferried passengers to the nearby densely populated areas of the city today. He hinted that long-route bus service might also be resumed, depending on the residents’ demand. Hadana also interacted with passengers for their feedback.
The resumption of operations at the bus stand has brought joy to local shopkeepers and vendors. Residents of the nearby area and e-rickshaw operators also welcomed the move.
The decision to move the terminus to the Patiala-Rajpura highway in May last year had backfired as it led to chaos in the Urban Estate area. Political observers believe that the relocation of the terminus would become a big issue during the coming civic body and Lok Sabha elections.
At the “Sarkar Vyapar Milni” programme, the CM had assured the industrialists that the issue of bus terminus would be resolved soon. In the initial phase, the PRTC would operate 25 buses at this station. Additional buses would be added to the fleet for the convenience of the residents, the CM added.
For now, the buses will operated within a radius of 30-40 km, covering places such as Nabha, Samana, Bhadson, Cheeka, Rajpura, Ghanaur, Gharam, Bhawanigarh and others.
“I do not wish that people spend Rs 50 on hiring an auto to reach the bus terminus and then pay more to reach the city,” said Mann.
The CM had also said 50 electric buses would be operated from the old bus stand.
Brajest Gharu, a shopkeeper; Yashpal, a fruit vendor; Charan Singh, a rickshaw-puller; and Mohit, an e-rickshaw operator, said after the relocation of the bus stand, they had suffered huge losses and they could barely manage to earn a living. They hailed the government for addressing their grievance by resuming operations at the old bus stand.
Jayawati, a resident of Sanaur, said they had to pay extra for commuting from Urban Estate to the main city.
Puja Devi, a resident of Bhawanigarh, said the resumption of service at the old bus stand would help students, especially girls, who would now get an easy transportation to reach their educational institutions.
