Activists associated with aviation advocacy group FlyAmritsar Initiative have demanded direct bus services from Sri Guru Ram Dass Jee International Airport to the city bus stand, railway station and the Golden Temple.
Raising the issue, Sameep Singh Gumtala, convener of FlyAmritsar Initiative, said, despite the airport handling around 2.5-3 lakh passengers every month, the Punjab Government had failed to provide dedicated public transport services for its travellers.
Welcoming the growing air connectivity in Amritsar, Gumtala criticised the lack of state-run bus services linking the airport with key locations in the city, and other towns of Punjab.
He said thousands of passengers arriving daily at the airport were forced to depend on private taxis and other expensive transport options. “It is unfortunate that, while luxury Volvo buses and helpdesks are provided to facilitate travellers to the Delhi airport, the state government has ignored the needs of nearly 10,000 daily passengers using the Amritsar airport,” he added. Gumtala said the airport remained disconnected from the state-run intercity bus network, causing inconvenience to passengers. He urged the state government to immediately introduce direct bus services from the airport to the Golden Temple, the railway station and the main bus stand.
Activists said improved public transport connectivity would not only benefit travellers, but also strengthen Amritsar’s position as a major international religious and tourist hub.
