QUETTA, April 13: Controversy over the allotment of plots to transport companies for booking offices is causing a delay in shifting the Satellite Town bus stand to its new site in Hazarganji, it is learnt.

Talking to Dawn, Ali Baloch, Director (Estate) of the Quetta Development Authority, said the much-awaited shifting of bus stand to its new site at Hazarganji would be completed by April 30, adding that transporters main demand of increase in number of plots for booking offices had been accepted by the authorities.

However, talking to Dawn, President of the Balochistan Bus Federation (BBF) Malik Mohammed Shahwani took an entirely different stand and said unless transporters two demands — allotment of complete quota of plots for booking offices and the issue of passengers’ pick and drop — were resolved according to their satisfaction, transporters would not shift their business to the new site.

He blamed the QDA officials for delay in shifting and accused them of allotting plots to fake transporters and depriving genuine transporters of plots at the new site.

The BBF president said the QDA had so far issued offer letters to 320 transporters and the remaining 280 should also be allotted plots. The government should also allow transporters to pick passengers from near the Ayub stadium, instead of from the western bypass as suggested by the QDA which was not acceptable to the transporters.

Malik Shahwani said shifting to new stand by June 30 was not possible as an overwhelming majority of transporters and other allottees were still waiting for the offer letters, after which they would submit maps to start construction work at the site.

He said that to ensure smooth shifting to Hazarganji, the QDA officials should accelerate the file work according to the decision made at the meeting of transporters with the provincial governor and chief minister.

Ali Baloch said over 1,200 plots for transport offices and shops had been allotted, besides offer letters for site plan were issued to those who had deposited the total amount of instalments. He said that so far 140 transporters had submitted maps to initiate the construction work.

He stated that the transporters demand of additional 164 plots had been approved by the QDA governing body at its meeting on April 8, and maintained the provincial Board of Revenue had also allotted 30 acres in this regard, but the BBF president now claimed that the number of remaining transporters was 280, while according to the department concerned the number stood at 164.

To a question, Mr Baloch said the present bus stand was spanned over four acres, while the Hazarganji site consisted of 68 acres and after including another 30 acres granted by the Board of Revenue to adjust remaining plots of transporters, the total size of the new bus stand would come at about 98 acres.