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Ludhiana depot: 2 months on, spare part supply for state-run buses stalled
Officials said that amid the shortage, the management is forced to procure spare parts from commercial markets or salvage parts from accident-hit buses to ensure that operations continue
The maintenance and servicing of Punjab Roadways and Punbus vehicles have been crippled at Ludhiana bus depot as the supply of spare parts, especially tyres, has been stalled for the past two months, people aware of the matter said.
The Ludhiana depot has a fleet of 50 Punjab Roadways buses, 55 Punbus buses and four luxury volvo vehicles.
Officials said that amid the shortage, the management is forced to procure spare parts from commercial markets or salvage parts from accident-hit buses to ensure that operations continue.
A roadways official, requesting not to be named, said the current fleet at the depot requires at least 100 tyres as each bus uses six tyres.
To manage the shortage, the management has resorted to shuffling two front tyres with the remaining four tyres used for the rear, a makeshift effort to extend the fleet’s life, the officials said.
“We must keep all the buses running, especially when passengers are struggling to find seats in a fleet with limited capacity,” the official added.
Punjab Roadways general manager Navaraj Batish assured that efforts were being made to address the issue and advanced stocks of spare parts had been maintained. “We are doing our best to keep the buses running,” Batish said.
State transport department’s deputy director Praneet Singh Minhas said the issue stemmed from financial constraints. He said the department has pending bills worth nearly ₹350 crore with the state government’s ministry of social security.
Minhas added, “Last week, we dispatched spare parts worth ₹2.25 crore. Today, we are sending tyres to the 18 Punjab Roadways depots across the state.”
Punjab Roadways, Punbus and PRTC Contractual Workers’ Union general secretary in Ludhiana Parveen Kumar said most of the buses at depot were in a ‘pitiable’ state, awaiting spare parts such as batteries, sensors and suspension components for repairs.
He attributed the crisis to a significant reduction in revenue, particularly due to the free travel scheme for women. “The department’s financial state has deteriorated sharply, which is evident from the current situation,” he said.
He pointed out that the circumstances have forced the drivers and conductors to pay out of their pockets for repairs when buses break down. He said many of the 52-seater buses are ferrying 100 people at a time, adding to the strain on staff and the vehicles.
