Taking a dig at the Ludhiana municipal corporation (MC) and slamming the state government for failing to run the city bus service at full capacity, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) launched a unique protest at the local bus depot on Hambran Road wherein its members cleaned the dilapidated buses with brooms on Thursday.
As per information, around 120 buses were bought under the Jawahar Lal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) in February 2011, but the authorities have not been able to use them optimally. Out of these 120 buses, only 83 were transferred to the company. And, of the 83 buses in possession of the contractor who was awarded the contract to run the city buses, only 27 are plying on roads, while the remaining ones are gathering dust at either depots or workshops on Hambran Road and Tajpur Road.
Stating that the buses were purchased at around ₹68 crore, AAP leaders demanded that the government should put them to use and not waste the taxpayers’ hard-earned money.
Kulwant Sidhu, AAP in-charge, Atam Nagar constituency, said if the government cannot run the buses, then it should at least rent them out to the youth and generate employment.
Sidhu said, “The government made tall claims regarding providing employment to youths. It should at least rent these buses out to them as these have been lying in a dilapidated condition for years now. The issue has been raised several times in the past but to no avail. The public is being forced to pay more for travelling in private buses and auto-rickshaws as the MC has failed to run the facility at low fares.”
{{/usCountry}}Sidhu said, “The government made tall claims regarding providing employment to youths. It should at least rent these buses out to them as these have been lying in a dilapidated condition for years now. The issue has been raised several times in the past but to no avail. The public is being forced to pay more for travelling in private buses and auto-rickshaws as the MC has failed to run the facility at low fares.”
{{/usCountry}}Sidhu added as many as 37 buses worth ₹17 crore have been gathering dust at the city bus depot for over eight years, while many are lying in dilapidated condition on Hambran Road, with many of their parts stolen.
Despite repeated attempts made to contact mayor Balkar Sandhu, his comments could not be elicited.
The MC had also served a termination notice to the contractor company running the bus service in the city, but the contractor moved the high court and the case is subjudice.
The contractor has also been seeking a hike in the fare citing the spike in diesel prices. He has also been raising the issue of auto-rickshaw unions creating hurdles in operating the bus service, especially in the Sahnewal area.