Kurukshetra gets 10 electric buses, CM Saini launches city service

Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini on Tuesday dedicated an electric city bus service to the citizens of Kurukshetra by flagging off 10 electric buses from Jyotisar.

Speaking at a programme organised by the Haryana State Transport Department, the Chief Minister said the new service would benefit both residents and tourists visiting the historic city from across India and abroad.

Passengers will be able to travel free of cost till Diwali, he announced.

“With the aim of introducing zero-emission public transport, the State Transport Department has decided to operate an environment-friendly electric bus service in Haryana and neighbouring states under the National Electric Mobility Mission 2020 of the Government of India,” said Saini.

He said the electric buses launched in Kurukshetra will operate on different routes across the city. “Kurukshetra is a city of historical and religious importance, and passengers will be able to avail themselves of this electric bus service during the International Gita Mahotsav, Solar Eclipse Fair and other fairs. This city bus service will result in zero pollution and zero noise pollution,” he said.

The Chief Minister, accompanied by former Minister of State Subhash Sudha, Transport Department Director General Sujan Singh, senior officials and BJP leaders, travelled on one of the buses from Jyotisar to the second gate of Kurukshetra University.

Sujan Singh said four routes had been finalised for the service — Jyotisar, Pehowa, Shahabad and Ismailabad — adding that electric buses were already operating successfully in nine districts of the state.

Earlier in the day, Saini attended the silver jubilee celebration of Seth Navrang Rai Lohia Jairam Girls College at Lohar Majra. Addressing the gathering, he said education was the true strength of any society and nation.

“When daughters are educated, the entire family, society and nation move forward,” he said, adding that this was the inspiration behind Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao’ campaign.

The Chief Minister highlighted the state’s initiatives to promote girls’ education, noting that the government had ensured a college within a 20-km radius in every area so that no girl was deprived of higher education due to distance.

He said 80 new government colleges had been established in the past 11 years, including 30 exclusively for girls.