LAHORE - The Punjab Assembly on Wednesday was told that the number of existing public transport buses, vans, and their routes were being planned as per needs assessed in a survey of 1991, while the Transport Department will be carrying out a new survey for transport planning by the coming April, which would be meant for next 30 years. Moreover, provincial Minister Transport Mian Mujtaba Shuja-ur-Rehman was virtually made to retreat from his stance that the vehicle fitness certificates were being awarded on Merit, as Speaker Assembly Rana Muhammad Iqbal Khan reminded the Minister that everybody could see the worst condition of the public vehicles. During the Question-Hour about the Transport Department, Oppositions Samina Khawar Hayyat repeatedly rendered the soft-spoken Minister answerless and virtually made him eat his words when she discussed city routes, number of vehicles and their condition, like a real professional. Ultimately, it turned to be a success for the vociferously vocal 'Lady Transporter, while the Minister seemed to be clueless about his Department even. Succinctly, the Opposition bitterly criticised the existing transport system of the city and declared it pathetic and insufficient to meet needs of the population. To a question whether the number of commuters and buses were sufficient, the Minister asked for putting a fresh question, but he mentioned that the existing number of routes and vehicles were as per a survey conducted in 1991, whereas the Department had contacted a foreign company to conduct a new survey by April this year. He further elaborated that Departments Transport Planning Unit would be activated in collaboration with the Japan International Cooperation Agency by April this year. The JICA is conducting a survey to chalk out a comprehensive plan to resolve the transport problems for next 30 years, while the government is working on various projects to ensure safe and modern means of transport under which a pilot project of 23 environment-friendly CNG buses has been launched on various routes within the metropolis (Lahore), said the Minister, while adding that the government was also planning to introduce LPG bus service through out the Punjab. 53 routes in Lahore have been reserved for heavy vehicles and 41 to light vehicles, while currently 695 heavy vehicles are plying on 28 urban routes, he said in a reply to Saminas query about the number of commuters and buses available in Lahore. Rana Muhammad Afzal quizzed the Minister about Departments method for checking the fitness of vehicles. To Mujtabas dismay, when the Minister tried to convince the House that a good system for checking the fitness of vehicles was in place, the Speaker asserted that they - members, including the Chair as well - were not blind, and could see the deteriorated condition of the public transport vehicles, and directed the Minister to look into the matter and take necessary steps in this regard. About the availability of CNG buses, Samina Khawar, while quoting the Department that a bus company was having 260 buses, pointed out that in reality that the company had only 115 buses and had sold the rest due to their poor condition. She also asserted that fitness certificates were being issued after muk muka (monetary deals). Mian Muhammad Rafique suggested renaming of the certificate as 'Muk Muka Certificate. Other members further raised a question about the worsening of the city environment if the fitness certificates were being properly issued. Even 35 years old buses are plying on Ferozepur Road and no body is checking them, Mian Naseer Ahmed pointed out. To another query, Mujtaba mentioned that the Franchised Transport Scheme had not been initiated in any district because of the Supreme Court verdict.