Bus travel to cost more, fares hiked by 25 pc in Himachal

Tribune News Service

Shimla, July 20

Succumbing to pressure from private bus operators, the Himachal Government today gave the nod for enhancing bus fares by more than 25 per cent, a decision bound to burden the common man.

• Also read: Roll back bus fares raise, says Agnihotri

The decision was taken by the Cabinet at its meeting chaired by Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur here today. An official spokesperson said the fare would be Rs 7 for first three kilometers instead of Rs 5. There would be increase of 25 per cent in the present per km tariffs for all travel beyond three kms for hilly and plain areas.

Both HRTC and private bus operators are incurring huge losses due to impact of Covid pandemic on the transport sector. The buses are plying with lesser occupancy as per social distancing norms. Private bus operators had threatened not to ply their buses if a hike in bus fares was not made.

The Cabinet gave nod to withdraw the facility of free travel to Members of Parliament and MLAs in HRTC buses within and outside the state. However, this facility would continue for all former MLAs and MPs.

The Industries Department made a presentation on Ease of Doing Business before the Cabinet. It stressed on development of online system for 46 services to facilitate entrepreneurs. The IT Department presented the hardware for e-Cabinet and nod was given for purchase of 16 workstations.

The Cabinet approved government land measuring 0-37-54 hectare on lease to HP State Electricity Board Ltd. for the construction of a sub station Ukhali in Hamirpur district at a rate of 20 per cent of the present circle rate i.e. Rs 11,26,200 as lump sum and Rs 1 per month lease for 99 years thereafter.

It decided to open new government primary school at Lower Tharedi in Bakan gram panchayat in Bharmour.

It decided to convert 771 vacant posts in the cadre of Assistant Librarians in the Education Department to Junior Office Assistant (Library) and take over Lala Jagat Narain Himotkarsh Kanya Mahavidyalaya Kotla Khurd in Una district by the government along with the services of eligible teaching and non-teaching staff.

Cabinet’s other decisions

• A primary school to be opened in Bakan gram panchayat in the Bharmour area of Chamba district
• 771 vacant posts in the cadre of Assistant Librarian in the Education Department to be converted to Junior Office Assistant (Library)
• The government to take over Lala Jagat Narain Himotkarsh Kanya Mahavidyalaya Kotla Khurd in Una