Himachal Road Transport Corporation (HRTC) is reviewing bus routes on a large scale to reduce losses. In this series, 48 such routes of Sundernagar depot have been identified which are earning less than Rs 20 per kilometer. If bus service on these routes is stopped, it will directly impact thousands of passengers in rural areas.
Scissors can operate on loss making routes
According to the information, the government has given instructions to identify such bus routes which are continuously running in loss. 48 routes of Sundernagar depot have come in this category. After the final decision on these routes, bus services may be cut or stopped.
Problems of people in rural areas will increase
Private bus services are extremely limited in Sundernagar and many surrounding rural areas. In such a situation, local people depend on HRTC buses for daily travel. If these routes are closed then working people, school-college going students, elderly and patients may have to face the most problems.
People gave alternative suggestions
Local people say that HRTC should take decisions not only on the basis of profit and loss, but also from the perspective of public service. His suggestion is that instead of closing the routes completely, the frequency of buses should be reduced or smaller buses should be run on these routes, so that the movement of people is not affected.
Sundernagar depot regional manager Ajendra Choudhary was contacted in this regard, but he did not give any detailed response on the subject citing busyness.
