Chandigarh, June 17: Congress MLA Kuljit Singh Nagra on Friday demanded a Vigilance probe against the transport officials who had allegedly allowed illegal operations of private buses during the 10-year Akali-BJP rule. In a call-attention motion, the legislator said large-scale illegal operations had been going on at the cost of the exchequer, while seeking strict action against the guilty officials.
“Despite the orders of the Punjab and Haryana High Court to quash the illegal route extension granted under an amendment in the transport policy of 1990, the Transport Department failed to act against these operators,” he said.
It was stated that during the fortnight-long drive by Vigilance officials against illegal bus operations, the daily revenue of PRTC and Punjab Roadways buses had increased by Rs20 lakh.
Joining the issue, Local Bodies Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu alleged that the Akalis had appointed frontmen to run illegal buses. “The worth of Badal-owned transport companies has grown manifold in the past 10 years,” said Sidhu. “If these buses can make profit, why can’t the PRTC be pulled out of the red? The state transport undertaking is under a Rs350-crore debt,” he added.
When asked why the Congress government was allegedly going slow on action against operators of illegal buses, Sidhu said it was for the CM to reply as he was holding the transport portfolio.
Replying to the call-attention motion, Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh said no bus would be allowed to ply illegally on the state roads. A crackdown against such buses has already been launched and the new transport policy — which is on the anvil — will solve the problem once and for all, he added.
News Source: http://www.tribuneindia.com
