Buses to pick, drop passengers from inside Mohali ISBT

Punjab director of transport has issued a notice to all general managers directing them to issue orders for buses to enter and exit the Mohali bus stand.
The directions have been issued after Mohali’s deputy mayor Kuljit Singh Bedi served a legal notice seeking revival of the multi-crore Baba Banda Singh Bahadur Inter State Bus Terminus (ISBT) in Phase 6.
Bedi said the notice served by his lawyers Rajeevan Singh and Rishamraj Singh regarding reopening of the bus stand and the closed road along with it, by Greater Mohali Area Development Authority (GMADA) has been effective.
Responding to the notice regarding the ISBT’s operation, the state transport director has sent a letter to the lawyers of deputy mayor Bedi, directing general managers of various depots to ensure that buses enter the bus stand, with instructions for passengers to board and alight the buses from inside the station in order to avoid any inconvenience to general public.
In this regard, Bedi said while he is satisfied with the transport director’s action, but when he visited the ISBT himself, the orders were found to be implemented only partially.
Deputy mayor Bedi added that he checked the records which showed that passengers are boarded at the gate outside the bus stand because the buses do not go to the counters inside. While 400 buses arrive at the station only 250 receipts are given, he added.
The second big thing, Bedi highlighted, is that the 250 buses which ply from outside the bus stand, don’t return to the bus stand but leave their passengers outside Verka Chowk. He said the reason for this is that one side of the road is closed, regarding which he has given notice to GMADA and the state government. Drivers disembark at Verka Chowk because they have to make a longer trip through Dara Studio chowk, he added.
While highlighting the absence of staff at the counters, the deputy mayor said the bus stand has been handed over to a private company again and only the firm’s security guards are seen issuing tickets.
Bedi requested the transport director to personally come and inspect this bus stand to get an idea of the on-ground situation and ensure the ISBT reopening.
He said the buses going to Patiala, Bathinda, Fatehgarh Sahib etc go through Phase 8, bypassing the terminus. He demanded the transport director to investigate the matter and take strict action.
The terminus, constructed at a cost of ₹350 crore, was to be operated and maintained by C&C Company. But a few months after its inauguration, the company deserted the terminus premises. Under the project, the bus stand was to house a 10-screen multiplexe, office spaces, two new multi-storeyed towers, a 130-room five-star hotel, a banquet hall, commercial spaces and a helipad.