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Ludhiana: Commuters harried as 23 Punjab Roadways, PRTC buses diverted for state govt event
Commuters in Ludhiana faced delays as 23 buses were diverted for a state event, straining the bus fleet and disrupting travel for workers.
Commuters at the Ludhiana ISBT faced prolonged delays on Monday after the state government diverted 23 Punjab Roadways and PRTC buses from city depots to ferry workers for a state-level event in Gurdaspur, officials said. The diversion further strained an already thin bus fleet, leaving office-goers and inter-district travellers struggling on a busy workday.
Muskan Verma, travelling to Jalandhar for a job interview, said, “I kept waiting for a government-run bus for more than an hour, but there was no bus in sight and no proper announcement. I cannot miss my interview, so I will now have to take a private bus and spend extra money. This is unfair for people who rely on government buses for economical travel.”
Ashok Kumar, who had to visit Chandigarh, said, “It is Monday and many people are travelling for work. There are fewer buses and the ones that are running are packed beyond capacity. This shows how little priority is given to daily commuters.”
Officials said the state government had requisitioned nearly 220 buses from depots across Punjab for the event, including 70 from Punjab Roadways and 150 from PRTC. Ludhiana alone saw 23 buses diverted—15 PRTC and eight Punjab Roadways—amounting to nearly 10% of the city’s operational fleet of 227 buses.
The move drew strong opposition from the Punjab Roadways, Punbus, and PRTC Contract Workers Union, who reiterated their refusal to operate government buses for political events.
Parveen Kumar, general secretary of the Ludhiana unit, said, “These buses are meant for the public and not for political programmes. People depend on these buses every day to reach work and colleges. Diverting them for public event only punishes daily commuters.”
Kumar added that after Punjab Roadways staff declined to operate buses for the event, the government turned to PRTC depots for additional vehicles. “Instead of strengthening public transport, the government is draining it further. The burden ultimately falls on passengers who are left waiting at bus stands,” he said.
Navraj Batish, general manager of Punjab Roadways at Ludhiana depot, confirmed the diversion. “Around eight buses from our depot were sent for the event in Gurdaspur. We have managed operations with the remaining fleet to minimise inconvenience,” he said.
