Parallel ISBT drivers fight to survive

Residents say that trouble brewed when another bus reached the same area. With little space to manoeuvre the vehicles, the drivers entered into a heated argument and finally came to blows.

The vehicles had entered the area from the wrong side and had blocked the road. A couple of residents rebuked the drivers, and a free-for-all ensued. Though a police post is barely 100 meters away, no one came for assistance despite repeated requests. When Express Newsline reached the spot, the bus drivers had moved out.

But furious residents complained that the buses had made their life miserable. According to Amrik Singh, a resident: “This is a regular affair. Matters have worsened in the past two days. The police do nothing, because they only care about the money they have received from the bus operators”.

Inquiries near Ritz cinema later revealed that some travel agencies have been parking their buses at the Madrasa Road for the past two days. Narender, who works in one such agency, said that he was aware of tonight’s fight. “The buses went to the Red Fort area after today’s fight. There was another big fight on Wednesday. These incidents will occurr since no want wants to lose out on his business because of parking space,” Narender said. The Kashmere Gate Police, however, said that they were not aware of any squabble over parking space. One of them said: “Even if there is a fight, what can we do”?