Punjab’s Tourism and Cultural Affairs Minister Tarunpreet Singh Sond on Tuesday slammed the ‘Jal Bus project’ as a “super failâ€, ruling out any possibility of its revival. Dismissing rumours about restarting the service at Harike or Ranjit Sagar Lake, Sond criticized the previous governments for wasting Rs 8.63 crore on what he termed a “poorly conceived ventureâ€.
“The Jal Bus project is not just a failed initiative but a symbol of corruption and mismanagement by past regimes. It placed an unnecessary financial burden on the people of Punjab and yielded negligible benefits,†Sond said.
Launched in 2016 by the Akali-BJP government, the Jal Bus project was promoted as a tourism booster. However, it quickly turned into a disaster. Costing Rs 8.63 crore, the water buses were operated for just 10 days before being shelved. Despite high expectations, the project’s revenue barely covered basic expenses, making it a financial liability.
“Crores were spent on these buses, but their revenue barely reached thousands…This project not only failed financially but also placed an unnecessary economic burden on the people of Punjab,†he said.
“These buses are now completely unfit for operation, and restarting them poses significant safety risks. The possibility of a major accident cannot be ruled out,†Sond cautioned, adding that the current government will not endanger public lives or waste resources on a defunct project.
The Minister accused previous governments of prioritizing flashy, impractical projects over initiatives that could have genuinely benefited the people. “The Jal Bus was a classic example of public funds being squandered. This money could have been better utilized for welfare schemes,†he added.
The Congress Government that followed had proposed auctioning the buses or replacing them with shikaras, akin to those in Kashmir. However, no concrete action was taken, and the buses have since remained parked in garages.
The minister categorically stated that the project was a glaring example of the corruption and mismanagement by past regimes. Mincing no words, he called the Jal Bus project an “epitome of corruption.â€
Accusing the previous administrations of prioritizing flashy projects over meaningful investments in welfare and development, he said: “This was a poorly thought-out decision that exemplifies how public funds were squandered on impractical ideas. Such resources could have been used for schemes that truly benefit the people.â€
Reiterating the Government’s stance, Sond dismissed reports of the project’s revival as baseless rumours. “We are investigating the circumstances under which this project was approved and executed. Such missteps will not be repeated under Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann’s leadership,†he assured.
Sond also highlighted the government’s focus on transparency and public welfare. “Our priority is to implement projects that truly benefit the people of Punjab. Initiatives like the Jal Bus, which were doomed from the start, have no place in our governance model,†he said.
