Crackdown on private bus operators in Punjab, but Finance Minister’s kin owe Rs 13 lakh road tax

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, November 3

While Punjab Transport Department has launched a crackdown on private bus operators defaulting on road tax, Raghu Raj Service, a transport firm owned by Finance Minister Manpreet Badal’s family, has outstanding tax of nearly Rs 13 lakh since January 2021.

When asked, Manpreet assured that the road tax would be deposited.

So far, nearly 300 buses have been impounded and another 200 have been challaned for tax evasion or other violations. Raking up the issue, Small Scale District Bus Operators Association general secretary JS Grewal alleged the bus companies run by political bigwigs, including the ruling party MLAs, were not being targeted but only those run by small operators were facing the crackdown despite operational losses due to Covid.

Dues to be cleared

Pending dues of Raghu Raj Service will be deposited. Manpreet Badal

Rejecting the allegation, Transport Minister Raja Warring said buses of Green Bus Service (owned by MLA Kiki Dhillon), Kartar Bus Service (owned by family of MLA Bawa Henry) and Pyar Bus Service (owned by family of MP JS Gill) had been challaned in the last few days. On being asked about Raghu Raj Service, Warring however said no bus of that company had been challaned so far.

Sharing the concerns of small bus operators, the Finance Minister, Manpreet Singh Badal, said the government was aware that the employability of around 5 lakh to 6 lakh people was linked to the transport industry.

The issue of giving some sort of relief to bus operators would be discussed after the Vidhan Sabha session on November 8.