Ludhiana: Private bus operators cry foul over route timing cuts

In a formal letter dated May 13 and June 21 to the Punjab transport department, the operators alleged that their buses were excluded from revised timetables without any prior notice or opportunity for a hearing

Private bus operators in Ludhiana have raised serious concerns over the unfair allocation of bus timings on permitted routes, accusing the authorities of systematically shortening or deleting their slots from the official timetable. They claim that this has forced several of their vehicles off the roads and into long-term idling, despite holding valid route permits, fitness certificates, and tax receipts.

Operators allege that they were excluded from revised timetables without any prior notice. (Gurpreet Singh/HT)

In a formal letter dated May 13 and June 21 to the Punjab transport department, the operators alleged that their buses were excluded from revised timetables without any prior notice or opportunity for a hearing. They further claimed that the regional transport authorities (RTAs) in Jalandhar and Patiala, in alleged collusion with influential transport groups, granted overlapping and additional timings to bigger operators by clubbing spare permits on unrelated routes.

In the letter, the operators also referred to Rule 8-C of the Punjab Motor Vehicles Taxation Rules, 1925, which allows exemption from quarterly tax if a vehicle is proven to be unused. “Despite repeated applications, no such exemption has been granted. Instead, the RTO Ludhiana is demanding tax clearance for buses that were deliberately kept off-road due to their own officers’ actions,” they said.

They further stated that it is creating a significant operational imbalance. While government-run and large private operators receive 10 to 25 minutes on local routes and 10 to 15 minutes on prominent routes, small operators are left with just 7 to 10 minutes and 4 to 7 minutes respectively, barely enough to ferry passengers.

Jasbinder Singh Grewal, general secretary of the Small Scale Bus Operators’ Association, Punjab, said, “Many times, we’ve written to state transport authorities highlighting these unjust practices, but to no avail. After the implementation of the free travel scheme, most passengers prefer Punjab Roadways and PRTC buses. We are already struggling, and now we’re being given such little time on counters. How will we sustain our operations?”

Echoing similar sentiments, Pal Singh, owner of Pal Travels, added, “Five of our buses have been lying idle at Ludhiana bus stand since 2022. I hold valid permits until 2026 and 2027. We’re being denied our right to operate, yet forced to pay taxes for buses that were never allowed to ply.”

When contacted, additional state transport commissioner (enforcement), Sukhwinder Kumar, said, “I am not aware of any such issues. However, if the operators have approached us through formal letters, I will look into it once the office opens on Monday and discuss it with the concerned officials.”