RTO Ropar suspended for failing to provide buses for pilgrims at Anandpur Sahib event

The Punjab government has suspended Regional Transport Officer (RTO) Ropar, Gurvinder Singh Johal, for failing to arrange buses to ferry pilgrims to Anandpur Sahib for the ongoing 350th martyrdom anniversary commemorations of Guru Tegh Bahadur.

Education and Public Relations Minister Harjot Singh Bains, who is overseeing the event arrangements at Anandpur Sahib, confirmed the suspension. He said the government had issued clear directions on Wednesday, instructing the RTO to deploy three buses per Assembly constituency in the areas surrounding Anandpur Sahib to facilitate the movement of devotees.

“People were left waiting for buses. When the government is organising the event on a global scale, failure to arrange transport for pilgrims’ amounts to dereliction of duty. This is why the officer has been placed under suspension,” Bains stated.

According to sources, the action followed reports that no buses were provided for devotees attending the light and sound show at Charan Ganga Stadium on Wednesday evening. The lapse caused significant inconvenience to the public, prompting immediate disciplinary action.

The state government has been making elaborate preparations for the large-scale events, which have attracted devotees from across regions. Ensuring smooth transportation for visitors has been a key part of the logistics plan.

With the suspension of the RTO, the Transport Department has been instructed to make alternative arrangements to prevent any further disruptions during the ongoing commemorative events.