HC stays grant of fresh bus permits

Chandigarh : The Punjab and Haryana High Court today stayed the operation of a notice issued on September 15 for the grant of fresh permits on eight bus routes in Punjab.
The direction by the Division Bench of Justice Surya Kant and Justice Sudip Ahluwalia came on a petition filed against Punjab and other respondents by Hardeep Singh through counsel Rohit Kapoor. The Bench fixed October 5 as the next date of hearing.
Kapoor said the permits were being granted in pursuance of a process initiated in 2011. He contended that applications were invited from the public for the grant of permits on various routes vide a notice dated June 1, 2011, as per the transport scheme dated August 9, 1990, and the modifications carried out on October 21, 1997. He said a meeting was scheduled to be held on September 27 to consider the applications received in 2011.Kapoor added that since more than five years had passed, a fresh assessment was required to be made by the respondents. Also, the process had to be given adequate publicity in newspapers with wide circulation for enabling the public to participate.