BAHAWALPUR: The Punjab transport department on Wednesday partially resumed the operation of Speedo bus service between Bahawalpur and Lodhran after its suspension for around a month, reportedly because of withholding of funding by the Punjab government.

According to Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) Dr Saifullah Bhatti, who also heads the district regional transport authority (DRTA), four out of the total 12 buses of the fleet had again started plying the 30-kilometre-long Bahawalpur-Lodhran route, charging the same one-side fare of Rs30 per passenger.

The service subsidised by the Punjab government had been suspended for non-payment of millions of rupees to the contractor -- Dawoo Bus Company -- with which the last PML-N’s provincial government had entered into an agreement for the purpose.

The suspension of the service had adversely affected the daily commuters from the both cities, especially the students from Lodhran district studying in the higher education institutions of Bahawalpur.

The affected students and their parents had lodged a strong protest over the bus service’s suspension that was conveyed by the district administration to the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf’s Punjab government. The administration had also proposed restoration of the service.

Senior PTI leader Jahangir Tareen, who belongs to Lodhran, had taken notice of the public concern over the bus service suspension. Apparently after getting an assurance from the provincial government, Mr Tareen on Monday had announced at a function held at the Panjnad Headworks that the Speedo bus service would resume its operation within two days.

According to ADC Mr Bhatti the fleet’s remaining buses would also be on the route soon.

Published in Dawn, November 8th, 2018