In the first meeting of administration officers of HRTC, held here today, Vice Chairman, HRTC Kewal Singh Pathania, urged the officers to provide better transportation facilities to the people of the State especially to those residing in the rural and far-flung areas.

Pathania expressed his heartiest gratitude to Chief Minister, Virbhadra Singh for providing free traveling facility to the students of the Government schools upto 10+2 level from current academic session there by fulfilling the commitment made to the people in the election manifesto.

He said that to improve the Average Earnings per Kilometer (EPKM) of the buses latest checking tools would be introduced by engaging efficient staff. He said that surprise checking of the buses would also be conducted at the level of Head Office, Regional and Sub-divisional offices.

He said that steps would be taken to curtail worthless expenditure and make HRTC a profitable organisation. Apart from this, a strategy would be evolved to bring HRTC out of the present financial crisis. It was decided in the meeting to improve the Kilometer per litre (KMPL) of HRTC vehicles by following maintenance schedule.

Pathania said that plan was in pipeline to increase the earnings of HRTC through advertisement on buses and all possible efforts would be made to fetch the advertisements from Central and State Government agencies. Besides, a detail of availability of space and buses would be worked out and offered to government agencies, corporations and boards for ads.

He said that a decision was taken in the meeting to avail concession on account of un-economical bus services provided in rural and far flung areas of the State. He said that efforts would be made to get liberal financial assistance from Government of India under Rural Transport Mission so as to provide better transport services to the people.