Timetable row: Chandigarh passengers hassled as buses from Punjab short-terminate in Mohali

Chandigarh, April 23

Passengers were inconvenienced as buses of the Punjab Roadways did not enter Chandigarh today over the issue of bus timetable. All buses coming from Punjab stopped at the Phase 6 bus stand in Mohali and dropped the Chandigarh-bound passengers there. They had to make their own arrangements to reach the UT.

400 vehicles stop at Phase 6

Around 400 buses, which enter Chandigarh during their scheduled journey, were stopped at Phase 6 bus stand in Mohali. The PRTC and PUNBUS Contract Workers Union, Punjab, has announced that until the CTU rectifies the timetable, no bus from Punjab will enter Chandigarh.

72 routes between Punjab, Chandigarh

Buses ply on a total of 72 long routes between Chandigarh and Punjab. Apart from this, 500 local buses of Chandigarh run in the tricity and sub-urban routes.

Buses plying to Delhi and other states from cities of Punjab also skipped Chandigarh taking the Mohali-Zirakpur route. However, the buses of Chandigarh Transport Undertaking plied as usual.

Around 400 buses, which enter Chandigarh during their scheduled journey, were stopped in Mohali. The PRTC and PUNBUS Contract Workers Union, Punjab, has announced that until the CTU rectifies the timetable, no bus from Punjab will enter Chandigarh.

According to the agreement of 2008, CTU buses of Chandigarh can travel 27,000 km, while at present its vehicles are travelling 45,000 km, which is seen as a violation of the agreement. The union said they had informed the CTU officials about the protest, but they failed to start a dialogue.

The union stated that no bus from Punjab would enter Chandigarh on Wednesday as well. If their problems are not resolved, they will further stop the local buses plying from Chandigarh to different cities of Punjab. Chandigarh buses will not be allowed to enter Punjab.

Buses ply on a total of 72 long routes between Chandigarh and Punjab. Apart from this, 500 local buses of Chandigarh ply in the tricity and on sub-urban routes.

Meanwhile, he CTU Union said no vehicle was being stopped and the old schedule was in force. Even if a new system is finalised, it will happen only after the Lok Sabha elections are over. Raising this dispute is totally unnecessary, due to which people are facing problems.

According to leaders of the CTU union, they had said earlier also that if any bus of the CTU was coming without timetable or without permit, then action should be taken, but causing harassment to people was no way to protest.