Your Diwali gift to Punjab: Deregulate public bus transport - 26/10/2008

S. Prakash Singh Badal Ji,

Hon. Chief Minister Punjab

CM Punjab Residence

House 45 Sector 2,

Chandigarh.

25 October 2008

Dear Badal sahib,

Your Diwali gift to Punjab: Deregulate public bus transport

Punjabi’s have suffered, far longer than necessary, from deficient public transport.

It appears that to date public transport policy has been largely set to protect the interests of the operators and not the travelling public.

The stench of corruption permeates the entire system from the grant of route permits to the draconian regulations applied arbitrarily on some operators by the department, whilst concurrently allowing other operators to go scot free. Politicians and bureaucrats have consequently prospered immeasurably.

In response to my Vidhan Sabha question querying the consolidation of the bussing industry in Punjab since the formation of your government, your Transport Minister replied that no such consolidation had taken place.

Yet this answer is fully refuted by most Punjabis, especially in Malwa, where select operators dominate in a manner designed to maximally hurt PRTC and Punjab Roadways.

Not that I wish to cast any aspersions on you or your family but the common man would welcome a full disclosure by you on this issue that:

your family’s bus transport interests have not grown at all during this administration, individually or in cooperation with other private operators.

The actions of private bus operators in Punjab have not harmed the financial interests of Punjab Roadways or PRTC.

You can also settle all doubts once and for all by delicensing all public transport in order that buses and minibuses can ply any route within Punjab without a permit. There can be no better Diwali gift for the people of Punjab.

Competition may hurt current operators but it will ensure cheaper, safer and more comfortable travel for the ordinary person.

In case your security allows I am more than happy to share a bus ride with you in Punjab to discuss this matter further.

Kind regards,

Yours sincerely,

JASSI KHANGURA MLA

HALQA QILA RAIPUR

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