CHANDIGARH: Punjab Motor Union (PMU), a union of private bus operators who ply nearly 2000 buses in the state under the 'ordinary buses' category, has urged chief minister Bhagwant Mann to bail them out from the financial crisis they are facing.
Addressing a press conference, PMU’s empowered sub-committee raised the issue of mounting losses being faced by the bus operators.
They said that losses were the result of free ladies’ travel, tax burden per kilometre and nil or negligible bus fare hike over the past few years.
The private bus operators are reeling under huge losses which in turn is threatening the livelihood of around 1.25 lakh families, dependent on the industry, said the union.
“Punjab government is keen to attract investments via the Invest Punjab Summit on February 23-24, but before calling for new investments there is a need to focus on domestic investors, particularly Punjab’s indigenous private passenger bus industry,” said PMU Secretary R S Bajwa.
The PMU members said that the previous government took a decision of free ladies’ travel which has ruined the transport industry.
It was promised to reduce our tax burden to offset the impact of the free travel facility for ladies but this wasn't done.
Shubhkarman Brar, member, empowered sub-committee, said, “The tax burden per kilometre on private operators was Rs 2.69. To make things worse a 10 percent social security cess has also been levied on this. The result is that the tax burden per km now stands at Rs. 2.96. In another harsh measure a 90 paise per litre cess on diesel has also been imposed a few days ago.”
Ajit Singh Khatra, an empowered committee member said, “According to an estimate about 30 operators have already downed shutters.”
