Union leaders from the Punjab Roadways, Punbus, and PRTC Contract Workers Union highlighted that this was not an only incident. Since December, buses have been diverted for government functions more than 20 times.
Thousands of passengers across Punjab, including students, office-goers, and women, were left stranded on Tuesday as the state government diverted 458 buses from Punjab Roadways and Punbus to gather crowds for a political event.
The massive diversion was ordered for the state-level launch of the Mukh Mantri Mawan Dheeyan Satkar Yojana at Adampur.
According to an official directive issued by the Director of State Transport on April 13, buses were pulled from depots across 13 districts. The impact was most severe in Jalandhar, where two depots contributed 96 buses more than 60% of their total fleet of 152.
| District | Buses Diverted |
| Jalandhar | 96 |
| Amritsar | 91 |
| Hoshiarpur | 54 |
| Ludhiana & SBS Nagar | 35 each |
| Batala | 33 |
| Pathankot | 32 |
Other districts including Tarn Taran, Moga, Ferozepur, Rupnagar, and Jagraon also saw double-digit diversions, leaving many rural and inter-city routes rarely served or entirely suspended.
At bus stands across the state, the frustration was at its extreme. For many women, the state’s “free travel” promise is of no worth when no vehicles arrived.
“What is the use of making travel free in government buses when there are no buses available when we need them?” asked Kamaljit Kaur, who was forced to pay for a private bus to Amritsar after waiting over an hour in Jalandhar.
The disruption also hit students during a critical academic period. Samaira, a JEE aspirant traveling from Phagwara, noted that these disruptions have become a “regular occurrence,” causing her to miss vital coaching sessions.
A Growing Pattern of Disruption
Union leaders from the Punjab Roadways, Punbus, and PRTC Contract Workers Union highlighted that this was not an only incident. Since December, buses have been diverted for government functions more than 20 times.
“Buses were pulled off routes for an event in Moga on April 4, and another diversion is already planned for an event in Tanda on April 15,” said Satpal Singh and Ranjit Singh, district representatives of the union. They argued that using public infrastructure for political mobilization is systematically crippling daily transport for the working class.
Official Response
Despite the widespread chaos, local officials downplayed the impact. Gurinder Singh, General Manager of Punjab Roadways (Jalandhar Depot 2), stated that state routes within his jurisdiction were “largely managed” and reported no significant disruption. He declined to comment on the statewide crisis, citing his limited jurisdiction.
With another state event scheduled for Thursday, commuters in Punjab are bracing for yet another day of travel uncertainty.
