Panjab Cancels Bus Permits, Demolishes Colonies; Revives Chandigarh Market

02
October
2024

The Panjab govt. has canceled 600 bus permits due to illegal consolidation and regulatory violations – 30% of which are linked to former Deputy CM Sukhbir Singh Badal. This decision, announced on 20 Sep by Transport Minister Laljit Singh Bhullar, follows a comprehensive review of composite permits under Rule 80-A of the Punjab Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989. The review uncovered widespread irregularities, particularly in permits issued when SAD and INC were in power from 2007 to 2017. An investigation revealed that multiple permits were often issued as a single entity, allowing operators to retain unauthorized return trips. Bhullar has also instructed Regional Transport Authority (RTA) secretaries to scrutinize all composite permits within their regions to ensure compliance with the rules. In other news, on 25 Sep, the Greater Ludhiana Development Authority (GLADA) demolished two unauthorized colonies in Threekay and Jhande villages on the outskirts of Ludhiana as part of its ongoing drive against unauthorized and unplanned development. The govt. has started a special drive to take punitive action against those exploiting innocent residents by promising cheaper plots in these unauthorized colonies, which lack statutory sanction and compliance with govt. norms. Prospective buyers can verify the list of approved and regularized colonies, along with their sanctioned maps, on the official GLADA website before buying any property. Meanwhile, after two decades of delays, the Chandigarh administration has revived plans to relocate the Sector 26 grain market to Sector 39, deciding to auction 92 shops within a month from 25 Sep. For the first time, the auction will be open to the public, and the shops will be allotted on a 99-year leasehold basis. Each 120-square-yard shop has a reserve price of approximately $600K. 

Photo by Press Trust of India

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