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Punjab Transport Scheme- 2018 amendment: Allowing only state buses enter Chandigarh will end private bus monopoly, says Transport Minister
Transport minister Laljit Singh Bhullar on Tuesday announced to amend Punjab Transport Scheme-2018, approved during the previous Congress party regime, as an end to monopoly in the operations of state’s privately-owned passenger transport plying on inter-state routes.
Transport minister Laljit Singh Bhullar on Tuesday announced to amend Punjab Transport Scheme-2018, approved during the previous Congress party regime, as an end to monopoly in the operations of state’s privately-owned passenger transport plying on inter-state routes.
Bhullar said the policy was formulated in 2018 by the then Congress government to give benefits to Badal family and other private bus mafia, which now has been amended. “Under this scheme, the entry of private Volvo buses into Chandigarh was allowed which led to the sheer loot of the state exchequer,” he added.
According to the minister, with the amendment of certain clauses of the scheme, now only state transport undertaking buses can enter in Chandigarh with their 100% share. The insertion titled with “Inter-State Route” in the Gazette notification read: “With the seating capacity of 39 or more, with the further condition that air-conditioned stage carriages shall be run by the state transport undertakings only out of their overall share in each category”.
The Badal family during its government’s two tenures from 2007 to 2017, created various schemes to fulfil their personal interests, in which the Congress government also helped the Badals in operating their transport businesses smoothly, including one of inter-state movement of their AC buses to Chandigarh, said Bhullar.
Bhullar added that Bhagwant Mann government will not “allow to fulfil the vested interests of Badals and their associates” at the sake of state exchequer.
