New Delhi, November 29: Following the challans issued by the Delhi Government’s Transport Department for plying Pepsu Road Transport Corporation (PRTC) buses beyond the Interstate Bus Terminal (ISBT), the PRTC has requested the Punjab Government to resolve the issue with the National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi.
The PRTC had to recently discontinue the direct service to Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport Terminal 3 after the Delhi Government issued challans for plying the buses beyond the ISBT.
PRTC chairman Manjit Singh Narang said, “We have sought the help of the Punjab Government to resolve the issue at the earliest. We also wrote to the NCT many times for countersignature on our permits, but to no avail. ”
The PRTC had been running a total of eight Volvo buses to the IGI Airport from Patiala and Ludhiana.
State Transport Commissioner (STC) Dilraj Singh Sandhawalia said, “Our buses only have stage carrier permits, but now the Delhi Government is asking for an all-India permit to take passengers to the IGI Airport. We are exploring all possible solutions. We will also examine the Delhi Transport Policy and try to resolve the issue.”
A stage carriage permit is a permission to ply the vehicle on a particular route. The route consists of stages where passengers can be picked up and dropped.
In view of the ban, the PRTC will be facing a monthly loss of around Rs 30 lakh. The PRTC’s bus service to the IGI was very popular among the people of Punjab due to low fare.
PRTC buses were charging Rs 780 from Patiala and Rs 880 from Ludhiana while private players were charging Rs 2,000 to Rs 4,000.
Sunandini Singla, a local resident, said, “After the PRTC stopped the service, we are facing inconvenience in reaching the IGI Airport from the Delhi ISBT, especially during odd hours.”
Source Tribune India
