Improving rural connectivity:Punjab Roadways to get 164 new midibuses

To improve rural connectivity, the state is all set to get 164 new midibuses (medium size). The state transport officials said that tenders have already been floated for the manufacturing of buses and if not marred by any legal or technical glitches, the buses will hit the road by November 20.

To improve rural connectivity, the state is all set to get 164 new midibuses (medium size). The state transport officials said that tenders have already been floated for the manufacturing of buses and if not marred by any legal or technical glitches, the buses will hit the road by November 20.

Sources in the state transport department said the demand to improve upon the public transport connectivity in the rural belt was long pending and had been raised by MLAs of many constituencies with the state transport officials, during meetings on numerous occasions. (Representative image)

Sources in the state transport department said the demand to improve upon the public transport connectivity in the rural belt was long pending and had been raised by MLAs of many constituencies with the state transport officials, during meetings on numerous occasions. Taking due cognizance of the demand, the department in turn asked the transport officials and halqa incharges to check the sufficiency of bus timings and identify routes lacking in bus connectivity.

Tenders floated, October 13 is deadline

State transport director Ashwini Sharma said, “Nearly 164 new midibuses will be introduced soon.”

The move is aimed at providing much needed thrust to the ailing public transport connectivity in the rural belt of the state. The tenders for 34-seater medium sized, lightweight buses have already been floated and October 13 is the deadline for the same. One of the automobile giants among Ashok Leyland, Tata Motors and Swaraj Mazda, is most likely be shortlisted for manufacturing the buses.

These buses will start plying from all 18 depots (intra-district) of the Punjab Roadways.” However, Sharma remained tight lipped when asked about the project cost/funding.

Eight midibuses for Ludhiana depot

Punjab Roadways general manager Rashpal Singh Makhu said, “We had submitted a list of routes and bus timings stating our demands to the state transport which in turn has decided to induct a fleet of 8 midibuses in the Ludhiana depot. There was an acute shortage of bus timings on routes from Ludhiana to Bhundri, Khanna, Maler-kotla and Machhiwara among ten routes in rural areas of the district. With the introduction of midibuses, this gap will be filled.’’

Poll gimmick

While a majority of the Punjab roadways employees are upbeat about the fact that increasing the bus fleet in the state will slightly take off their burden, sources in the state transport termed it as a poll gimmick to lure voters ahead of assembly polls that are scheduled early next year.