Additional bus stand to start at Dana Mandi

Jaswant Shetra

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, May 22

After facing a dilemma over shifting of the local bus stand for many days, the district administration has finally decided to start an additional bus stand at Dana Mandi, Salem Tabri, near the Jalandhar bypass. A notification in this regard was issued on Tuesday.

The need to shift the bus stand was felt to ease traffic situation in the wake of collapse of the Gill flyover retaining wall some days back,

Using powers delegated to him under Section 200 (2) of the Punjab Motor Vehicles Rules 1989, District Magistrate-cum-Deputy Commissioner Pradeep Agrawal on Tuesday notified Dana Mandi in Salem Tabri as the additional bus stand. “This decision has been taken keeping in view the demand raised by the Municipal Commissioner and the Commissioner of Police,” says the notification.

Only those bus routes that have been affected by the Gill flyover wall collapse will be shifted to the additional bus stand. It will remain functional till the damaged portion of the Gill flyover is repaired.

As the authorities have blocked one side of the Gill flyover as a precautionary measure, traffic jams have become a routine affair at Gill Chowk and the nearby areas. According to sources in the Municipal Corporation, it might take between 30 and 45 days or even more to complete the repairs on the flyover.

Challenges before admin

First challenge before the administration would be to provide security to passengers at the makeshift bus stand at Dana Mandi, which is a high-incidence crime area. Besides, providing basic facilities, such as washrooms, waiting area, safe water and eataries, will be another task for the administration to be completed in a short time.

What CP says

“The safety of passengers is our responsibility and we will leave no stone unturned in providing best security to passengers at the additional bus stand.”