Migrants left in lurch as bus from Ludhiana to UP takes u-turn midway
Driver took a u-turn near Ambala, saying that his permit had expired
The happiness of around 30 migrants hailing from Gonda district of Uttar Pradesh knew no bounds when they boarded a bus of a private operator, Jujhar Travels, to take them home from Ludhiana on Monday evening. But the joy was short-lived as the driver took a u-turn near Ambala, saying that his permit had expired. It was later found out that the administration had not provided any permit to the operator.
Mahesh Kumar, one of the migrants, said, “We had departed from the city around 5.30pm on Monday and stopped at an eatery near Ambala around 2.30am. After a nearly hour-long halt, the driver told us that his permit had expired and that he was driving us back to the city.”
All the migrants are now waiting in the bus, hoping that it will depart for the destination soon.
“We have paid around Rs 3,000 to Rs 3,300 each for a seat on the bus and now we are not sure if we will even reach home,” he told Hindustan Times on Tuesday evening, adding that none of them have had anything to eat since Monday night.
Ganesh Kumar, another migrant, said, “The driver stopped the bus a few kilometres away from Ambala and refused to take us further. He then brought us back to the city. Where will we go now? We have already left our quarters and cannot return.”
“We reached here at 7am today and it is 6pm now but we are still waiting for the bus to move,” said Ganesh.
AGENTS ROAMING AROUND INDUSTRIAL AREAS TO BOOK TICKETS
The migrants, meanwhile, said that some agents were approaching them in their localities in Focal Point, Giaspura and others with bus tickets to their native places. The migrants said they are being charged around Rs 3,300, which they are told includes medical screening expenses.
Jujhar Travels manager Saroop Sharma, however, said the company is charging Rs 3000 from the migrants for Gonda. He also denied the claims that agents were approaching migrants on their behalf. About the bus that returned, he said there was some issue regarding permit due to which the bus was called back.
MIGRANTS BEING CHARGED FIVE TIMES THE NORMAL RATE: BAINS
Member of the Legislative Assembly Simarjeet Singh Bains also reached site in the evening and interacted with the migrants. Bains said that before lockdown, the fare for Gonda was around Rs 650 and now the company is charging five times the normal price from migrants who are already going through a tough time.
Bains also contacted the deputy commissioner and said that no permission was given to the company by the administration. He added that the company was fleecing migrants.
