Government set to act tough on bus owners violating permit rules in Punjab

Chandigarh, April 12

The AAP government is readying itself to take action against the contract carriage buses, including those run by Badals, for violating permit rules in ferrying passengers within the state and to other states. This also includes the Indira Gandhi International Airport-bound passengers picked from different destinations in the state.

After flagging off 29 new buses, which were added to the PRTC fleet here on Tuesday, Transport Minister Laljit Singh Bhullar said irrespective of the political affiliation of the violators, strict action would be taken as the matter of contract carriage buses being run as stage carriage buses was being probed.

“We do not want to become laughing stock like previous Transport Minister Raja Warring, who impounded Badal-owned buses only to be reprimanded by court. We will act in a way that decisions stood legal scrutiny,” said the minister.

He further announced the amount of penalty to discourage those evading taxes was being increased, especially the buses running on inter-state routes. “A penalty of Rs 54,000 will be imposed on the first-time violators, Rs 1.08 lakh for the second violation and Rs 2.16 lakh for the third,” he said.

The department would soon take up the matter of putting details of defaulter buses online to ensure those caught once are fined double next time.

The minister further said the state transport was being strengthened as part of a plan to curb private transport mafia, which would soon face a crackdown.

Income rises to Rs 2.20 crore per day

• The Transport Minister on Tuesday claimed the daily income of PRTC buses clocked Rs 62.34 crore during March. The corporation earned Rs37.23 crore in the same month last year
• He claimed the daily income of the state buses was recorded at Rs1.76 crore per day during December, January and February. It increased to Rs2.01 crore a day after March 10. The income further increased to Rs2.20 crore a day during first 10 days of April