HRTC to purchase 500 new buses: Minister

Dharamsala, July 25, 2013: Himachal road Transport Corporation (HRTC) will purchase 500 new to strengthen its fleet.

Disclosing this here on Thursday, the Himachal Transport Minister GS Bali said, “HRTC will raise loan from HUDCO to meet this demand, as the corporation is already in heavy losses and it cannot make the purchase at its own.”

Speaking to the media persons, he told that the return of money had been planned in phase manner. He said, “Though HRTC has raised its income by improved KMPL in last 6 months, yet it is far behind to meet its Rs. 500 crore cash loss rendered during BJP government.”

Minister informed that around 200 zero value buses are to be replaced every year to meet the health of HRTC, but due to the wrong policies of last government the number of such buses have swollen to 700.

Bali said that Chamunda Devi,Rohroo, Nagrota, Nirmand, Sunniand Nerwan will have new bus stands. A sum of Rs. 10 crore have already been released. He said that all the bus stands of the state would be whitewash too.

He said a new AC bus will be started between Dharamsala-Chandigarh soon.

Bali said that he will listen to public grievances in Dharamsala Secretariat on 2nd of each month, but he will come in the second week during August due to pre occupation. He said that he is available 365 days on phone too.

It seems that CM Himachal has instructed all the ministers from Kangra to sit at least once a month in Dharamsala, as UD Minister Sudhir Sharma and power minister Sujjan Singh have also announced their sitting in Dharamsala.