LAHORE, April 6: The Punjab Transport Department will soon provide facilities like waiting rooms, shelters and drinking water at bus stands and bus stops in collaboration with the local governments.

Presiding over a meeting here on Tuesday, Punjab Transport Minister Rana Shamshad said the provision of comfortable travelling facilities to the people was the responsibility of the government.

His department had made arrangements for the construction of waiting rooms and shelters and provision of drinking water facilities to commuters at bus stands and bus stops during the summer with the assistance of the local governments, he said.

He ordered a strict surveillance of franchised transport companies to ensure plying of the agreed number of buses on the routes and display of fare tables in buses to prevent overcharging.

He said the franchised bus companies should be compelled to provide uniform to their drivers and conductors, and action should be taken against the managements of the companies failing to meet any of the conditions.

He called upon the transporters to discontinue the practice of earning profit by putting the passengers to discomfort and focus their attention on the provision of comfortable travelling facilities to the public instead.