600 new buses to be added in 2 months time: Punjab min

Punjab Transport Minister Aruna Chaudhary today said the government will add 600 new buses to its existing fleet in the next two months.

The minister asked the transport department to provide better transportation facilities to the people to strengthen the transport sector besides adopting tough line against whims of private bus operators.

She asked the secretaries of the regional transport authorities to ensure the timely meeting of targets with regard to the collection of taxes and implementation of latest IT systems for issue of registration certificates and driving licences.

Chaudhary gave these directions while presiding over a meeting of all the departmental officers here today.

In a statement after the meeting, she said the new buses will include 300 ordinary low fare buses of PUNBUS, 30 Volvo coaches and 250 ordinary buses of PRTC.

"No bus should operate from the unauthorised stops or on routes without permits," she said.

The minister also elaborated that in order to stop such activities, it would be mandatory for the private buses to install Global Positioning System (GPS) devices.

"The new as well as the old state transport buses would also be equipped with the GPS. This would come in handy for the departmental officers to have full knowledge of the route taken by the buses," she said.