Govt adds 90 buses to fleet to check overcrowding

Dipender Manta

Tribune News Service

Mandi, June 25

In view of the difficulty being faced by commuters following restrictions imposed by the authorities to check overcrowding after the Banjar bus mishap last week, the government has decided to run 90 more buses on different routes. Currently not in use, these buses were purchased by the previous government under Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM).

Locals are facing a great difficulty in reaching their respective destinations in Mandi and Kullu district after the police stepped up vigil to check overloading in private buses across the state.

After the Banjar bus mishap, which killed 45 persons and left many injured, the state government had directed the district administrations across the state to check overloading in buses with immediate effect.

Due to shortage of buses at many places, students, employees and local people were facing huge inconvenience in reaching homes in the evening. Such incidents were today reported from Ani, Banjar, Kullu and in Mandi district. Students of Gugra area under Ani sub-division failed to reach school this morning due to lack of bus service. The agitated students along with their parents blocked the Gugra-Chavai road for hours, which led to a long traffic jam in the area. Sub-divisional Magistrate, Ani, Chet Singh visited the spot to pacify the protesters.

Suresh Kumar, Vinay Kumar and a few other local residents of the Ani area told The Tribune that due to lack of adequate buses in Ani HRTC bus depot, cramped vehicles were often spotted in morning and evening hours on most of the routes. There are only 27 buses available at HRTC Depot at Ani, while there should be at least 100 buses to cater to huge rush of commuters. They said that the state government should provide at least 25 more buses immediately. This will provide relief to the people of of area. Similarly, in Banjar, Kullu and Mandi people faced a lot of difficulty in reaching in office in time or reach at home in evening. People are desperate and want the state government to provide more buses on those routes as soon as possible so that the passenger rush was eased in crucial hours.

Police tightens noose around violators

Hamirpur: More buses have been pressed into service to check overloading in the district. The local depot of the Himachal Road Transport Corporation was given 52 buses under JNNURM, but most are gathering dust as the corporation does not have adequate space at the local bus stand and in its workshop.

After the Banjar accident that claimed over 45 lives, the government has swung into action. The RTO and the police have started inspecting buses for overloading and overspeeding. Still, there a few operators who violate rules. oc

Agitated students block road

Due to shortage of buses at many places, students, employees and local people were facing huge inconvenience in reaching their respective destinations. Such incidents were reported from Ani, Banjar, Kullu and in Mandi district. Students of the Gugra area under Ani sub division failed to reach school due to lack of bus service. The agitated students along with their parents blocked the Gugra-Chavai road for hours, which led to a long traffic jam in the area.