AMRITSAR Having already lost women passengers due to government’s free ride scheme in state-run buses, capping the passenger capacity at 50% has pushed the private operators to the brink and they are contemplating shut operations. Due to the free ride facility, the women prefer to board government buses.
“We are already facing loss due to the facility provided by the government to women in government buses. As per the fresh order of the government of limiting the number of passengers in buses, a normal bus cannot ferry more than 25 passengers. In such a situation, we earn less than what the ride costs,” said Choudhary Ashok Manan, who runs a small transport company that runs buses between Amritsar and Dera Baba Nanak.
Manan who is also member of Amritsar-Gurdaspur Bus Operator Association, said, “We are not able to meet expenses of fuel since the number of passengers was capped. Police are registering FIRs against bus owners for violation and imposing a fine of ₹9,000.”
Baldev Singh Babbu, president, Punjab Mini-Bus Operators Union, said, “Sunday lockdown also affects us a lot. We are already facing a big financial crisis in times of Covid-19 and not able to give salaries to our employees. How can we tackle the situation?”
The bus operator unions from across the state will conduct a meeting in Jalandhar on Monday. Punjab Motor Union president and former Congress MLA Avtar Henry will preside over the meeting to chalk out further course of action.
{{/usCountry}}The bus operator unions from across the state will conduct a meeting in Jalandhar on Monday. Punjab Motor Union president and former Congress MLA Avtar Henry will preside over the meeting to chalk out further course of action.
{{/usCountry}}“We have planned to take the buses off road. We won’t operate buses until we get relief from the government. We will announce it after a meeting in Jalandhar on Monday. Not only we but drivers, conductors and other employees working in the bus operating companies will also be affected and the government will be responsible for it,” added Babbu.
It is worth mentioning here that many private bus operators took their vehicles off road during the post-lockdown period last year as livelihoods of thousands were hit.