Free bus service for Hola Mohalla devotees

Our Correspondent

UNA, FEBRUARY 27

In view of the rush of devotees for the Hola Mohalla fair to be held from March 3 to 12 at Dera Baba Badbhag Singh in Mairi village of Una district, the administration has decided to provide shuttle bus service from the inter-state barriers to the shrine and back for devotees coming from Punjab in double decked trucks and tractor trailers.

In an official press release, Deputy Commissioner Sandeep Kumar said while many rounds of meetings have been held between the officers from Punjab and Himachal Pradesh to prevent devotees coming to the shrines on goods carrying vehicles, the tendency has not stopped completely.

The Deputy Commissioner said four barriers would be set up to stop such devotees coming in goods carrying vehicles. These barriers will be set up at Ajouli road junction near the railway crossing for devotees coming from Nangal side, at Santoshgarh for those coming from Garhshankar and at Ashapuri barrier and Chak Sadhu bridge for those coming from Hoshiarpur.

He said free shuttle bus service would be available from all four barriers to the devotees for the to and fro journey. He said this was being done keeping in view fatal accidents and loss of precious lives every year due to unsafe travel. He said joint police check posts along with their Punjab counterparts will also be set up to advise the devotees.