Continuing his crackdown against the illegal buses and improving the state’s transport system, Punjab Transport Minister Amarinder Singh Raja Warring on Sunday visited Shaheed Madan Lal Dhingra ISBT, Amritsar, and City Center, where most of the passenger buses were parked illegally. On Warring’s instructions, officers of the Department impounded 20 unauthorised buses of private operators, including one bus of the Orbit Aviation, due to incomplete documents, in and around the ISBT premises.

Warring, addressing the mediapersons, made it clear that the “government tax evasion, plying of illegal buses, and bus mafia will not be tolerated. Every

bus, which would ply on the roads of the State, would have to pay tax”.

He informed that PUNBUS and PEPSU are earning profit of Rs 40 lakhs per day after the strictness against illegal and unauthorized private buses and bus mafia, and “I am trying to increase daily income of the department by Rs one crore”.

Warring also directed the officers of the Transport Department that besides inspecting the taxes of buses, trucks and other vehicles, they should also ascertain current conditions, including the age, pollution level, and safety of the vehicle for ensuring that these vehicles do not endanger anyone’s life on the roads.

The Transport Minister also reprimanded the officials for lack of cleanliness at the bus stand and cleaned it himself at many places, saying that in public places like bus stands, cleaning of buses is as important as cleaning of one’s own house, and warned

authorities that “such negligence would not be tolerated in future”.

Interacting with the passengers at the bus stand and in buses, Warring informed that as many as 842 new buses would be added in the fleet of Government

buses so as to provide better facilities to the passengers of the State.