Electric bus starts plying between Kullu, Manali

Our Correspondent

KULLU, DECEMBER 3

Eco-friendly electric buses purchased by the HRTC to ply on the Manali-Rohtang Pass road have been put into operation between Kullu and Manali. The buses were purchased following the directions of The National Green Tribunal (NGT) directing the state government to explore the possibility of eco-friendly transportation to protect the eco-fragile Rohtang area.

Mangal Chand Manepa, Transport Regional Manager of Kullu and Lahaul Spiti, said one bus was presently operating between Manali and Gulaba and the other was pressed into service between Kullu and Manali yesterday.

The two buses were put to service to Rohtang Pass on November 13 but the passage to the Pass was blocked due to snowfall after three days. The buses were then being plied up to the snow point at Gulaba.

Manepa said that fare for one-way journey between Kullu and Manali had been fixed at Rs 82. The bus will leave at 8.35 am from Manali and come back from Kullu at 10.20 am. He added that same bus would again go to Kullu at 12.12 pm and return back at 5 pm.

Manepa said they had a fleet of total six electric buses for Kullu and registration process of four was underway. They were working out a plan to operate four of these other electric buses on other routes as the road beyond Manali is generally blocked due to snowfall during winters. He said that they were analyzing various spots where charging points could be set up for the buses. He added that plying of these buses to various tourist spots of Kullu was being explored.

The Regional Manager said that they were getting good response for the electric buses and there was lot of craze amongst the tourists as well as the locals to travel in these buses. Booking for the electric bus could be done through booking counter at Manali and Kullu. Online booking facility would soon be made available. He added that passengers can directly board the bus and take the ticket there itself.

Meanwhile, those associated with the tourism industry have welcomed the initiative of the HRTC to ply electric buses on local routes as well. They said that providing electric bus connectivity to various tourist spots would promote tourism in the valley.

Environmentalists also lauded the effort by the HRTC to promote electric buses saying this would protect the ecology of the hill state.