No bus service in Chandar Nagar leaves residents peeved

With no option of public transportation in Chandar Nagar of Civil City of Ludhiana, the residents are waiting for the Ludhiana City Bus Services Limited (LCBSL) to make their woes meet an end. The residents are a harried lot as even the autorickshaws do not operate from this area to bus stand or railway station.

The residents have been demanding from the municipal corporation (MC) to start the bus service from Kali Mata Mandir (Chandar Nagar), Civil City to the Shaheed Sukhdev Thapar Inter State Bus Terminal and Clock Tower of the city. Sometimes the residents are forced to cover the distance on foot in absence of even rickshaw facility.

The population of the area is around 30,000. However, Ludhiana City Bus Service Limited had assured the residents last month that the bus service will be started within 15 days, say the area residents.

Vinod Sharma, the president of Baba Deep Singh Ji Welfare Society, Civil City, said, "We have been demanding the initiation of the city bus service in this area as the residents have no other means of transportation. Travelling through rickshaws is costly and autorickshaws are also not available."

Sharma, who is also the president of Lion's Club Milan Ludhiana, alleged that a political leader is creating hindrance in the process instead of supporting the cause. "We had suggested the routes on which a survey was done. We were told that the bus service will be started in 15 days but nothing was done,"he added.

Devraj, a resident of Civil City, said, "Girls face a lot of problems while travelling to the bus stand or railway station. They are forced to cover the distance by foot in case rickshaws are not available. We appeal to the MC authorities to start the bus service from this area. The bus stand and railway station are situated at a distance of four to five kilometres from here."

The resident said that if the buses can't take a turn near Arya College and KVM, then these can ply between Civil City and Clock Tower and bus stand via Kailash Chowk.

When contacted, LCBSL manager Baljeet Singh said, "I have told the residents that buses can't take a turn from near KVM School. We have asked them to suggest another route following which survey will be conducted. We will definitely start the city bus service if feasible."