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Chandigarh, 

With an aim to bring more efficiency in the state transport sector for providing better travel experience to the passengers, the Punjab Transport Department has expedited its checking campaign against tax evasion, incomplete documentation and plying of buses on illegal permits by private bus operators and today impounded 20 in five districts, while one bus was challaned.

During today's drive, the checking squad of Regional Transport Authority (RTA), Gurdaspur has impounded 5 buses violating transport norms including one each of Rajdhani Bus Service, Dalam and Baba Nand Bus Service and two buses of New Deep Bus Service, while RTA Ferozepur has impounded four buses including two buses of New Deep and one each of Raj Bus Service and Tourist Bus. Similarly, RTA SAS Nagar impounded 4 tourist buses including two buses of Ashoka Tourist Co. and one each of Sahiba Tourist and Vaishno Yatra Co., while RTA Sangrur has impounded one bus of Orbit Aviation.

During a joint inspection at Sri Muktsar Sahib conducted by the checking squads of RTA Faridkot and General Manager Sri Muktsar Sahib documents of total seven buses were checked, out of which six buses impounded violating norms and one bus was challened. These included; three buses of orbit Aviation, one each of New Deep, Fateh and Northern Bus Service, while one bus of Northern Bus Service was challaned.

Meanwhile, Punjab Transport Minister Mr. Amarinder Singh Raja Warring said that the state transport department is committed to provide better travel facilities as well as plying of sufficient number of buses on most busy routes. "Checking drive is aimed to ensure tax norms' compliance by the private bus players, who were on free run till now", he categorically mentioned.

He said, this drive would continue till its logical end, adding that so far, 258 buses plying without tax, documents besides illegal permits, were impounded and the transport department has recovered a whopping sum of Rs.4.29 crore as tax and penalties.