Private bus operators in Bikaner, troubled by the Transport Department's inaction, have warned of a protest, alleging harassment and breach of promise.
Association President Samudrasingh Rathore stated that the department has not fulfilled its promises. He mentioned that the demands agreed upon at the end of the 'chakka jam' protest in February 2026 have not been implemented to date.
On the contrary, the Transport Department has once again started suppressive actions against the buses, causing great resentment among the operators.
A major issue for the bus operators is related to sleeper buses manufactured up to 2019. They claim that new rules are being forcibly applied to these buses, which is not legally correct.
The association argued that a single sleeper bus contributes about one crore rupees in revenue to the government during its eight years of operation. In such a situation, it is unfair to suddenly declare buses that have been operating for years and paying regular taxes as illegal.
The operators have also raised serious questions about the functioning of the Transport Department. It is alleged that there have been continuous disruptions in several services for the last three to four months.
These include services like VLT devices, online portals, fitness processes, and driving tests, where irregularities are severely affecting the transport business.
Another problem is related to the seats removed for the emergency gate. The number of these seats has not yet been registered in the RC, due to which extra tax is being collected from the operators.
The bus operators have also raised the issue of the continuous increase in the cost of diesel, oil, and other operational expenses. They say that while expenses are increasing, there has been no increase in passenger fares.
Due to this, the entire business is facing a serious economic crisis. The operators have warned that if their demands are not heeded, a protest will also be registered during the Chief Minister's visit to Bikaner on August 15.
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