New transport policy to end cartels

Chandigarh : The Amarinder Singh government today put to an end the monopolistic practices and cartelisation in the transport sector. The government approved a new transport policy to end the monopolisation in plying of private buses by transport companies owned by Akali leaders, besides breaking truck cartels by announcing the Punjab Goods Carriages (Regulation and Prevention of Cartelisation Rules), 2017. Refusing to succumb to political pressure from both the Congress and the SAD, the Council of Ministers that met under chairmanship of Chief Minister Amarinder Singh cancelled permits of 5,432 buses indulging in extension/diversion of routes and another 6,700 mini-buses, besides 78 integral luxury coaches. The permits will be allotted afresh now. The new policy aims at increasing the share of state transport undertakings — Punjab Roadways, PUNBUS and Pepsu Road Transport Corporation — in the luxury bus service, which is so far controlled by the bus companies owned by Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal. The policy lays down that eventually this segment of buses will be state controlled.