Una bus stand project still a distant dream

Rajesh Sharma

Una, July 5

Even after two foundation stones were laid by successive Chief Ministers during the past seven years, the Una bus stand building is yet to see the light of day.

Commuters and bus operators are forced to use the existing cramped bus stand, constructed about 40 years ago, sans basic facilities.

On April 6, 2007, six months before the promulgation of the moral code of conduct for the 2007 Assembly elections, then Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh had laid the foundation stone of the bus stand at the existing workshop of Una depot of the Himachal Road Transport Corporation (HRTC). However, in the absence of budgetary provision, not even a single brick was laid during that tenure.

Just about a month ahead of the implementation of moral code of conduct for the 2012 Assembly elections, then Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal laid another foundation stone on September 19, 2012, a few metres away from the previous stone. The department had taken precautions to hide the previous foundation stone from public view by covering it up with worn-out bus tyres during the ceremony.

The first half of the present tenure of the Congress government too has passed, but no civil work is visible on the proposed building.

Transport Minister GS Bali, during his recent visit to Una, had reiterated the government commitment of a modern multi-storey bus stand complex worth about Rs 5 crore, for which the existing HRTC depot workshop would have to be shifted to another location.

The exercise to identify a suitable site for the HRTC depot was also initiated some seven years ago. Work finally began at Rampur village, but about a year ago, after spending Rs 65 lakh, it was stalled on the plea that the 2-km distance between the workshop and the bus stand would needlessly burden the department with Rs 200 per trip.

Lack of political will among the leaders of rival parties of the district appears to be the reason as the new bus stand project for Una continues to remain a distant dream for all stakeholders.