Heavy vehicle entry timings in Surat becomes a contentious issue, now MLA demands government-run sleeper buses

In Surat, private travel operators and MLA Kumar Kanani are at loggerheads over the arbitrary fares being charged to passengers. Kanani, in a letter to the Chief Minister, has demanded that the state government start running sleeping buses to address the issue.

The Commissioner of Police has released a notification setting the prescribed time for the entry of heavy vehicles into the city, but both private travel operators and legislators are insistent on its proper implementation. The dispute is expected to continue unless a resolution is reached.

Many people in Surat travel to Saurashtra, North Gujarat, and Kutch, with a large number of them using private buses. However, these operators and agents have been charging arbitrary fares, leading to complaints from passengers. In his letter, Kanani stated that if government slipping ST buses were started on this route, passengers would get relief and the government could generate significant revenue.

Kanani has also highlighted the exorbitant fares that travel agencies charge during festivals, and he believes that government-run buses could prevent this. The people of Surat are urging the government to survey the routes on which private buses operate and start running government buses to provide better options to the commuters.