Transport Minister directs for strict action against those pilfering state exchequer
Chandigarh, June 13:
The Minister’s Flying Squad has issued challans to two sleeper buses from another states of Rs.50,000 each for operating without taxes, besides reporting three conductors for receiving money from passengers without providing them with tickets.
Transport Minister S. Laljit Singh Bhullar provided further details, stating 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 No. RJ-28-PA 0001 and Jammu & Kashmir sleeper bus No. JK-02-BG 2099 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, said the Cabinet Minister, adding that wherein conductor Ashwani Kumar of bus No. PB-65AT-1695 from Rupnagar Depot was reported not to issue tickets to passengers despite collecting Rs.235 from them. Another checking revealed that conductor Dharminder Ram of bus PB-07CA 5458 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 No. PB-10GX 6842 was caught during the checking in Ludhiana as he took Rs.50 from passengers without issuing them tickets.
The Cabinet Minister said that during the checking in Sirhind, bus No. PB-05AP 5354 from Ferozepur depot was found operating on an unscheduled route.
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.
