Buses veer off for event, commuters left stranded

Ludhiana: Commuters across Ludhiana faced considerable inconvenience on Monday as a large number of state-run buses remained off the roads due to their deployment for a state govt event in Patiala and an AAP rally scheduled in Hoshiarpur. Diversion of buses disrupted regular services, leaving daily passengers stranded and causing long waiting times at bus stands.Sources said PRTC buses were deployed for the state govt event held in Patiala. In addition, Punjab Roadways and Punbus buses were withdrawn from routine routes from the afternoon in preparation for the Hoshiarpur rally. According to staff members, around 50 Punbus buses from Ludhiana were kept on standby for the Hoshiarpur event and were expected to move towards different villages by evening to pick up participants.The diversion led to the cancellation or curtailment of several regular routes, causing widespread inconvenience. Daily commuters who rely heavily on state-run transport for work, education and medical travel were the worst affected. Passengers reported overcrowding at bus stands and extended waiting periods, with many opting to delay travel or turn to private operators as an alternative.Staff members alleged that continued deployment of state-run buses for political events amounts to misuse of public transport. They said such arrangements impact services for almost three days. "On the first day, buses are withdrawn and kept ready, reaching villages late in the evening. On the second day, buses ferry people to the event and return late at night. On the third day, buses cannot be taken out as they wait for fuel, and drivers also need adequate rest," a staff member said. Employees also complained of having to work overtime without being able to claim compensation.According to staff, the situation at the Ludhiana depot was particularly strained. They said that while around 83 Punbus buses are usually operational from the depot, nearly 50 were diverted for the Hoshiarpur rally on Monday. Several others were reportedly off the roads due to repairs. Besides, only about 20 Punjab Roadways buses were operational from Ludhiana on the day.Repeated diversion of buses has significantly reduced the availability of state-run transport on routine routes. In rural areas, where bus frequency is already limited, cancellations caused even greater hardship, particularly for students and workers commuting to nearby towns.Women passengers were among the worst affected, as many depend on the free travel facility provided on state-run buses. With fewer buses operating, queues at bus stands grew longer and waiting times increased substantially.Sneha, a city resident, said she had been waiting for a Chandigarh-bound bus for about 45 minutes, but no govt-run bus had arrived. She said lack of buses had left many passengers confused and frustrated.Manjit Kaur, an elderly woman, said she had been waiting at the Chandigarh terminal for nearly an hour. She said she needed to travel urgently to Chandigarh for a medical check-up, but no state-run bus had arrived since she reached the bus stand.When contacted about the fragmented bus services, Punjab Roadways Ludhiana depot general manager Navraj Batish said around 50 buses were sent for the Hoshiarpur rally as per instructions from the state govt, resulting in fewer buses being available for regular routes.Fleet Diverted, Travel Disrupted -- Buses were diverted due to a state government event in Patiala and an AAP rally scheduled in Hoshiarpur-- Around 50 Punbus buses from Ludhiana were kept on standby for the Hoshiarpur rally-- Deployment led to cancellation and curtailment of routine routes, leaving daily passengers stranded-- Staff said bus diversion affects services for nearly three days due to preparation, ferrying and recovery time-- Of about 83 operational Punbus buses at Ludhiana depot, nearly 50 were diverted, while some were under repair--Only around 20 Punjab Roadways buses were operational from Ludhiana on the day--Passengers reported long waiting times, overcrowding and forced reliance on private transport--Women passengers were among the worst affected due to reduced access to free travel facilities--Elderly and medical travellers faced hardships amid delayed and irregular services--Punjab Roadways Ludhiana depot GM said buses were sent to Hoshiarpur as per state government instructions