Bathinda depot gets 8 PRTC buses

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, March 1

The Pepsu Road Transport Corporation (PRTC) Bathinda depot has got eight more brand new 48-seat general buses. These buses are equipped with CCTV cameras, hydraulic seats, digital signboards, facility for carrying luggage and GPS based automatic bus location announcement system.

It is pertinent to mention that PRTC had decided to give 15 new buses to the Bathinda depot, of which they have received 13 buses and very soon the remaining two buses will also be added to Bathinda depot.

Taking to Bathinda Tribune, Davender Singh, Time Table Inspector (TTI), PRTC, said, “After the arrival of these 13 brand new buses in the depot, passengers have also started giving preference to travelling in state-run buses. Besides, we have started plying these buses on the long routes. While four buses are plying on the Malout-Chandigarh (CHD) route, three on Bathinda-CHD, and single buses on Bathinda-

Shimla and Rama Mandi to CHD routes. Remaining four new buses routes are yet to be scheduled.”

The remaining buses will ply on long routes, he added.

On the other hand, city residents and passengers have hailed the efforts of PRTC for adding new buses to its fleet.

Manjinder Singh, a city resident, said, “Travelling in government buses always provides you satisfaction of safety and security. Although, for the last several years seeing the dilapidated condition of the government buses people had started refusing to travel in them. After, seeing the changes in the government buses, people have again started showing interest to travel in these buses.”

He further stated that PRTC may soon start plying Air-conditioned (AC) buses on the long routes. This move will generate even more revenue for them.

When contacted, Surinder Singh, general manager, PRTC, said, “Earlier, we were not able to generate good revenue due to the deplorable condition of the buses plying on long routes. Now after the arrival of the new buses to the depot we are generating revenue of around Rs 20 lakh per day.”

Seeing the revenue of the PRTC Bathinda depot, the authorities concerned have decided to add two more general buses to the Bathinda depot. Besides, very soon PRTC will provide two AC buses to the depot, he said.