Ludhiana, May 31 -- Around 103 Punjab Roadways buses across 18 depots in the state remained off road this week due to driver shortage. The disruption comes at a time when the Punjab Roadways fleet is already stretched thin to meet the heavy passenger rush.

Among the worst affected depots are Chandigarh, Jalandhar, Amritsar, Pathankot, Ludhiana and Jagraon, officials confirmed. Besides the shortage of 450 drivers, Punjab Roadways officials attributed the disruption also to an acute shortage of essential spare parts, including tyres. The department currently operates a fleet of 1,590 buses, already insufficient to meet the rising demand for public transport, especially during peak travel seasons.

The crisis comes despite transport ministe...