1 week Ago
Ludhiana: The city bus service in Ludhiana has come to a grinding halt, leaving residents scrambling for alternative transportation. Over seven months have passed since the civic body took control of the buses, and officials are still struggling to get them back on the road. Efforts to enlist PRTC’s help in running the mini city buses on local routes have been met with silence, as no satisfactory response has been received.
With no clear plan in sight, officials are just waiting for electric buses promised by the central government. However, even this solution is stuck in limbo due to the civic body’s delay in setting up proper bus depots. Only 15 buses are operational on two routes, which are forcing residents to rely on rickshaws, e-rickshaws, and auto-rickshaws.
Students, who were the primary users of the bus service, are bearing the brunt of this situation. The irony is not lost on anyone, given the promises of metro rail service made during elections. The buses that were taken back from the contractor are also getting rusted and will gradually turn into scrap if these are not used.
One of the officials claimed that the contractor has once again appealed in the high court that MC took back buses without completing the terms in the agreement and they have not completed the 5-lakh km condition. He said there is a technical issue with the metres in the buses and these can never achieve 5-lakh km range. He said there is arbitration in the court, and they will have to look forward to the same.
He claimed they have written reminder letters to PRTC but to no respite. MC additional commissioner Paramdeep Singh Khaira said: “We have written several times to PRTC for running these buses as well, but we have not received any satisfactory reply. We do not have staff to manage the bus service therefore no decision has been taken in this direction.
” The bus service, launched in 2011 with 120 buses, is on life support. The officials had given 83 buses to the contractor and only 15 are now left with him. MC officials are unable to take any decision about these buses and now there are chances these buses will also turn into scrap like those 37 buses which were dumped earlier at Tajpur Road depot.
We also published the following articles recently Rickshaws & pvt bus operators make hay as 50% fleet of city buses stays off road Bhopal's public transportation system is facing a crisis as half of the city's bus fleet is out of service, leaving many commuters stranded. BCLL, the city bus operator, has reduced routes and buses in the past six months, impacting around 25,000 daily passengers. Route 215A: 67 buses compete for 21km turf Bus drivers on Kolkata's busy 215A route are under immense pressure to complete four round trips a day, aiming to earn a minimum of Rs 8,000.
With intense competition from 67 buses on the same route, drivers resort to speeding and dangerous maneuvers to maximize passenger pickups and meet their targets. 50% Of City Buses Off Road Within A Yr, Lakhs Of Commuters Hit Commuters in Bhopal, India, are facing transportation woes as half of Bhopal City Link Limited (BCLL) buses have been pulled off the roads. The decline, attributed to terminated contracts and the withdrawal of the ticket collection agency, has left the city with a significantly reduced fleet.
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