Cracking down on the corruption within the transport department besides checking the violation of rules, the Minister’s Flying Squad has issued challans to two sleeper buses from another state—Rajasthan and Jammu and Kashmir — of Rs 50,000 each for operating without taxes. Besides, the flying squad also reported three conductors for receiving money from passengers without providing them with tickets.
Transport Minister Laljit Singh Bhullar said that the Minister's Flying Squad, constituted to enhance public bus services’ efficiency and eradicate corruption in the transport department, conducted checking outside Ludhiana bus stand and found Rajasthan state sleeper bus, and Jammu and Kashmir sleeper bus plying without state taxes. Both the buses have been issued challans on the spot, he added.
Similarly, checking of state-run buses was conducted in Patlikul, Himachal Pradesh, wherein the conductor Ashwani Kumar of a bus from Rupnagar Depot was reported not to issue tickets to the passengers despite collecting Rs 235 from them, said the Minister.
“Another checking revealed that conductor Dharminder Ram of bus from Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar Depot collected Rs 140 from passengers and not issued tickets of the same amount. In another case, conductor Harmesh Singh of Jagraon depot bus was caught during the checking in Ludhiana as he took Rs 50 from passengers without issuing them tickets,” added the Minister.
The Minister said that during the checking in Sirhind, a bus from Ferozepur depot was found operating on an unscheduled route.
In strict words, the Transport Minister directed the Department officials to take immediate action against the reported drivers and conductors, emphasizing that all the drivers and conductors of public transport services are considered part of his family, and he stands in solidarity with them. However, anyone found involved in embezzling state exchequer will face severe consequences.