Bharat Bandh: Commuters at receiving end as over 650 buses halt operations in Ludhiana

Officials at the bus stand revealed that a majority of buses were compelled to retreat in the face of widespread protests and road closures across districts

The city’s bustling bus stand here was devoid of activity on Friday after more than 250 government and over 400 private buses suspended their services in support of the Bharat Bandh, leaving passengers stranded.

Buses parked at ISBT stand during the Bharat Bandh call by the farmers unions in Ludhiana. (HT)

Officials at the bus stand revealed that a majority of buses were compelled to retreat in the face of widespread protests and road closures across districts. Adding to the chaos, several trade unions staged demonstrations at the bus stand, further exacerbating the situation.

Jagjit Singh, one of the stranded passengers, expressed his frustration, saying, “I urgently needed to travel to Ferozepur to meet relatives who are scheduled to depart abroad tomorrow. However, upon arriving at the bus stand this morning, I was dismayed to find not a single bus operating due to the Bharat Bandh.”

Another affected traveler, Jasmehar Chugh, said he had to catch a flight from Chandigarh, but with no buses available, he had to cancel his flight.

Ranjit Bagga, general manager of Punjab Roadways, said, “Despite dispatching four buses to various destinations such as Raikot, Ferozepur, Bathinda, and Jalandhar this morning, all were forced to return due to road closures outside the district. Neither private nor public buses were able to operate on any routes.”

Officials have assured public that bus services will resume as usual on Saturday, with operations expected to return to normal across all routes and schedules.