Punjab bandh: Commuters face inconvenience in Chandigarh, Mohali

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Commuters Caught Off Guard as Bus Routes Change, Leaving Daily Travellers Stranded Between Chandigarh and Mohali

Chandigarh: The Punjab bandh on Thursday, disrupted daily travel between Chandigarh and Mohali, leaving commuters struggling to reach their workplaces and other destinations. Several people faced delays as bus routes changed, while some passengers said they had not been informed about the restrictions in advance.
The shutdown, called to protest the murder of anti-drug activist Parvinder Singh Jhota, also kept many school children in Mohali at home amid concerns over the bandh.

Many commuters appeared unaware of the scale of the shutdown and were caught off guard by changes to public transport services. Bus services between Chandigarh and Mohali were affected, with some routes altered. Buses that usually travel to Sohana in Mohali were instead operating between Chandigarh’s Sector 17 and Sector 43 bus stands, inconveniencing passengers heading towards the town.

During a journey on a Chandigarh Transport Undertaking (CTU) bus, passengers travelling to Mohali and other parts of Punjab were left concerned when they learnt that the bus route had changed.
A bus conductor told passengers that the service would not go to Sohana because of the bandh. The announcement prompted an argument with a passenger who questioned why the change had not been communicated earlier.

The conductor said the staff had learnt about the restrictions while returning from Kharar, after another bus conductor informed them that buses were not being allowed to enter because of the bandh.
The sudden change left passengers uncertain about how to reach their destinations, highlighting the difficulties faced by people travelling between Chandigarh and neighbouring areas of Punjab.
The bandh also affected educational institutions and businesses across the state. Private schools and colleges remained closed in Ludhiana, Pathankot, Gurdaspur, Bathinda, Mansa and Jalandhar. Government schools were officially open, but student attendance was reportedly low.

Markets remained shut in several districts, while the Siddhupur farmers’ organisation blocked the Bathinda-Chandigarh highway. Police detained several farmer leaders in Bathinda and Faridkot.
The disruption underlined how the bandh affected not only markets and educational institutions but also people who needed to travel for work and other essential activities.