Jaipur: A plan to decongest Sindhi Camp by shifting intercity buses to satellite terminals has stalled in a standoff between the traffic police, RSRTC and private operators.The govt wants departures and arrivals moved to facilities such as Heerapura and Transport Nagar, but Sindhi Camp remains the starting point for most state-run services.Traffic officials say the imbalance has made enforcement difficult. Private operators argue they are being pushed out while RSRTC keeps its passenger advantage on busy corridors, including Ajmer Road, Delhi Road and Agra Road.“RSRTC is not keen to start or terminate operations from anywhere apart from Sindhi Camp. Private operators say that if RSRTC does not change its stand, they will also return to Sindhi Camp. We are in the line of fire,” a traffic official said.The confrontation sharpened before Diwali when the traffic wing barred private buses from entering the city. Protests followed, prompting similar restrictions on roadways buses. RSRTC’s opposition forced the department to withdraw both orders, leaving the policy effectively frozen.Private operators say satellite terminals cannot work unless the rule applies equally.Kailash Chand Sharma, president of the Private Bus Operators Association (Stage Carriage), said passengers would not spend almost the price of a non-AC ticket to Ajmer on an autorickshaw ride from Sindhi Camp to Heerapura. “Why would passengers go to Heerapura when they can board a roadways bus from Sindhi Camp? We will not tolerate this discrimination,” he said.At present, RSRTC buses originate at Sindhi Camp and make brief halts at satellite terminals. On return trips, buses skip the terminals and drop passengers on roadsides instead.Transport secretary and RSRTC chairperson Bhawani Singh Detha stated that operations are being planned to keep in mind the convenience of the public. “We are developing both the Heerapura and Transport Nagar bus terminals. These issues would get sorted soon,” Detha added.A senior RSRTC official defended continuing operations from Sindhi Camp. “Unlike private operators congesting Sindhi Camp, we have a full-fledged terminal. Our buses are not congesting the area, and we will continue operations from this terminal,” the official claimed.
