Daily struggles: Inadequate, erratic CTU bus service leaves commuters frustrated

Chandigarh: Longer travel times, erratic and inadequate service has left the daily commuters on the local bus service of Chandigarh Transport Undertaking (CTU) much harassed lot. This is particularly true for people coming to the city from outer peripheral towns like Kharar or from neighbouring satellite towns of Panchkula and Mohali.
The regular users of the bus service contend that buses often run late, last-mile options like private transport which primarily relies on app-based cab services are either expensive or unavailable.
Rajinder, a tea vendor from Panchkula who travels daily to Chandigarh, said, "I have to change two buses to reach Sector 17, Chandigarh. Sometimes there's a long wait, and if I get late, I lose half of my customers. Autos are too costly for me everyday commute," said Rajinder.
The problem isn't limited to informal sector workers. Office-goers and students also face the brunt of deficiencies in the system. While Chandigarh's internal CTU bus service has expanded in recent years, connectivity between the three cities remains weak, and many residential areas in Mohali and Panchkula remain poor connected, say commuters.
"I work at Axis Bank in Sector 17 and live in Gilco Valley in Kharar," said Supriya Verma, a daily commuter. "There's no direct route. I have to take a bus from Kharar to Sector 8, Chandigarh and then switch to either shared rickshaw or e rickshaw whatever is available at disposal. It's tiring and takes up too much time," said Supriya.
Though city bus fleets have grown, it remains focused on intra-city movement. Intercity buses are few, overcrowded during peak hours and lack frequency. There is also poor last-mile connectivity, often pushing commuters to spend extra on autos and shared cabs.
Baljeet Singh, a shopkeeper from Mohali's Phase 3B2, also travels to Sector 22 daily. "There's no direct service. I either take multiple buses or depend on shared autos, which are not reliable and charge a lot during rush hours," he said.
Early morning workers are among the worst hit. Ramesh Kumar, a safai karamchari, leaves Panchkula before 6 am to reach his duty point in Sector 17. "Buses are rare that early. I walk to the highway to catch anything I can. It's tiring even before work starts," he said.