Shimla: Himachal Pradesh Road Transport Corporation (HRTC) has incurred a loss of Rs 450 crores, owing to the pandemic and the bus services on 47 percent routes have been stalled.
This was disclosed by Transport Minister Bikram Singh while addressing media persons here on Wednesday.
“HRTC had incurred huge financial loss to the tune of Rs 450 Crores and during the crisis the state government had provided a financial assistance of Rs 353 Crores that has helped in providing salary to the employees on time,” he said.
Currently bus services are running on 53 percent routes and of the total 3,708 routes, buses are operating on 1984 routes, he said, adding that bus services are plying on 271 routes outside the state including Chandigarh 59 routes, 24 Delhi and 11 Haridwar.
He further disclosed that the HRTC will be conducting recruitment of 491 drivers soon, for which driving tests will be started from December 1.
The private bus operators are upset over cutting down seating capacity of passengers to 50 percent in the buses due to Covid, he said, assuring them that once the Covid infection subsides the issue will be resolved.
He further said that construction of six Bus stands have been completed and will soon be dedicated to the public.
Proposal to increase quota for jobs on compassionate grounds.
Transport Minister informed that since a large number of applications seeking job on compassionate grounds are pending, efforts are on to increase the job quota from 5 percent to 10 percent for which a proposal will be sent to the state government.
