Chandigarh, April 12:
Punjab Transport Minister S. Laljit Singh Bhullar, on Tuesday, asserted that with the transparent policies of the Chief Minister S. Bhagwant Singh Mann led state government, the daily income of the government bus service has been started increasing profusely. He said that during the tenure of the previous Congress government, PRTC income in March 2021 was recorded Rs.37.23 crore, which has now increased to Rs.62.34 crore during March 2022.
Speaking to the media persons after flagging off 29 new PRTC buses at PRTC Chandigarh Depot, S. Bhullar said that during last three months i.e. December, January and February of the Channi led Congress government, the daily income of the state buses was recorded at Rs.1.76 crore per day, while it remained Rs.2.01 crore per day after March 10, the day when our government came into power, which has further increased to Rs.2.20 crore per day during first ten days of April.
After adding 29 new buses into PRTC fleet, the Transport Minister affirmed that the strengthening of public transport would clearly help in curbing the private bus mafia. “After the last consignment of 29 buses out of total 255 new buses provided to PRTC, now the PRTC has total 1308 buses fleet, which would strengthen PRTC bus service system especially in the Malwa region, the main operational hub of the PRTC besides plying of buses on closed routes. He said that out of these new buses, Patiala, Sangrur and Bathinda depots have been provided 6 buses each, 5 buses to Budhlada depot, 4 to Chandigarh depot and 2 buses were being provided to Barnala bus depot. S. Bhullar said that Punjab Government was committed to provide affordable, safe and quality travel facility to the people of the state.
S. Laljit Singh Bhullar said, the government bus service was being strengthened across Punjab as part of a plan to curb private transport mafia, stressing that the private transport mafia, which is destroying the exchequer of the state would soon be cracked down heavily.
“The provision of penalty of Rs.54,000 for the first time, Rs. 1.08 lakh for the second time and Rs.2.16 lakh for third time for evading tax will be implemented in true spirit”, said the minister adding that he would soon take up the matter of putting the details of such defaulter buses online, with the Chief Minister S. Bhagwant Singh Mann to ensure that the bus caught once will be fined double next time.
MD PRTC Ms. Parneet Shergill, GM (Admn.) Mr. Surinder Singh, GM Chandigarh Depot Mr. Maninderpal Singh Sidhu, GM Patiala Depot Mr. Jatinderpal Singh Garwal and GM Barnala Depot Mr. M.P. Singh and other officials were also present during the function.
