Ludhiana commuters protest bus diversions for AAP rally

In Ludhiana, residents are expressing anger over bus services being diverted for a political rally. The rally is organized by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and will feature prominent leaders like Arvind Kejriwal and Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann. The Punjab government has sent 324 state-run buses to transport AAP workers from various districts to the event at the Indoor Stadium on Pakhowal Road. This decision comes amid a significant shortage of buses for public transport in the region. Many commuters are concerned that the diversion of buses will worsen the already inadequate public transport situation. Rajpal, an executive director at PUNBUS, confirmed that the decision to deploy these buses came from higher officials. Local residents, including Sukhwinder Singh, have voiced their frustrations. They argue that it is increasingly difficult to catch a bus for work or travel while buses are being redirected for political purposes. Amanpreet Kaur from Jalandhar also raised concerns about the financial implications, questioning why the government can allocate resources for a rally while claiming a lack of funds for new buses.