Punjab Roadways’ BS-6 model Volvo buses have been banned from entering Delhi till December 14. If anyone takes a bus to Delhi, he can be fined up to Rs 20,000. This decision has been taken by the Delhi government due to increasing pollution.
In fact, after banning the entry of vehicles running on diesel below BS-6 standards from Punjab to the National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi, now its Volvo bus services to Delhi Airport have been temporarily suspended. Due to this suspension, many passengers are facing problems, especially those passengers who depend on Volvo buses for a comfortable and direct route to the airport.
Punjab Roadways General Manager Navraj Batish at Ludhiana Depot told the media that the reason for suspending Volvo bus services is the old BS-IV model buses, which are now not allowed to enter Delhi till December 14.
Batish said that the suspension is resulting in a revenue loss of around Rs 4.5 lakh to the depot every day. The Ludhiana depot plies 12 Volvo buses on this route, serving around 240 passengers daily, and the passengers are now facing major hurdles.
However, he added that the normal buses of Punjab Roadways are not affected by the ban and continue to ply as usual. Besides, PRTC’s Volvo and normal bus services are also exempted from the ban as their new BS-6 buses have been included under the kilometre scheme.
Sachin, a frequent visitor to Delhi airport, said, “I have never faced such a problem before. I had to catch a flight immediately, but when I reached the bus stand, I came to know about the suspension. Now, I am having to look for last-minute options.”