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Warring visits Amritsar bus stand; orders impounding of 23 private buses
Warring also decided to board state-owned buses and interact with passengers after ordering the impounding; he added 842 new buses will be added to Punjab’s fleet
Amritsar Punjab transport minister Amrinder Singh Raja Warring, on Sunday, paid a surprise visit to the Shaheed Madam Lal Dhingra Inter-State Bus Terminal (ISBT) in Amritsar and issued orders to impound 23 buses of private operators.
These buses were either parked haphazardly or were plying in an illegal manner, without the complete set of documents. The buses impounded include three belonging to Orbit Aviation, the company that is owned by the Badal family.
While addressing media persons, Warring said, “Evasion of tax, plying of illegal buses and the formation of bus mafia will not be tolerated. Every bus, which would ply on the roads of the state, will have to pay tax.”
He added that state-owned PUNBUS and PEPSU were earning a profit of ₹40 lakh per day after they had tightened the noose against illegal and unauthorised private buses and bus mafia. “I am trying to increase the daily income of the department by ₹1 crore,” he claimed.
Warring also directed the officers of transport department that besides inspecting the taxes of buses, trucks and other vehicles, they should also ascertain current condition, including the age, pollution level and safety of the vehicle. Warring reprimanded officials for lack of cleanliness at the bus stand and cleaned it himself many places, saying that in public places like bus stands, cleaning of buses is as important as cleaning of one’s own house. He warned officers that such negligence would not be tolerated in the future.
“We will add 842 new buses to the fleet of government corporations to provide increased comfort and convenience of the common man,” he added, during his interaction with the public at the bus stand.
