Free run for private buses in Muktsar; Not a single vehicle challaned in a year

Free run for private buses in Muktsar

Not a single vehicle challaned in a year

A passenger boards a private bus. File photo

Archit Watts

Tribune News Service

Muktsar, May 18

It is no surprise that not a single private bus has been penalised for violating traffic rules in Muktsar in the last one year. Notably, only those buses were penalised which were plying without paying the motor vehicle tax. The number of such buses too was negligible. Sources in the Transport Department said the situation was almost same across the state.

Hardeep Singh, District Transport Officer, Muktsar, said: “We regularly issue challans to collect motor vehicle tax from bus operators, but I am not aware about the number of challans issued to private buses for other violations.” The sources said the large number of private buses plying in the district either belonged to the Badals or to their close aides.

STC seeks daily report

Following the Moga molestation incident, the State Transport Commission (STC) has swung into action and directed all DTOs to send a daily report on action taken to remove curtains and tinted glasses from buses. In Muktsar, curtains have been removed from a number of private buses in the past several days. Besides, the transporters have been told to remove tinted glasses or face strict action.

Directions to school buses

The Punjab State Commission for Protection of Child Rights has issued a 10-point direction to the Transport Department to follow while permitting school buses to ferry students.

These instructions included that the driver must have the driving licence of the category of the vehicle he is driving, the presence of an attendant above 18 years of age, he must be matriculate and must have got first aid training and the vehicle must be equipped with fire extinguishers. Besides, the attendant has to assist students to cross the roads. In buses ferrying girls, the attendant must be a woman. The telephone numbers of the district transport office and the transport company must be displayed on the bus.

Training for conductors

The Transport Department is planning to impart gender sensitive training to all private bus conductors at the Mahatma Gandhi State Institute of Public Administration (MGSIPA), Chandigarh. The training, as being planned, would be of one day.

Courtesy: The Tribune