HRTC to Take 366 Buses Off Road, Replace Old Fleet in Phased Manner
Shimla: Himachal Pradesh is set to accelerate the transition towards electric public transport, with the Himachal Road Transport Corporation (HRTC) planning to induct 1,000 new electric buses into its fleet. Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri said the prototype for the new buses would be finalised at the earliest.
Agnihotri chaired the 164th meeting of the HRTC Board of Directors and the 73rd meeting of the Himachal Pradesh Urban Transport and Bus Stand Management and Development Authority (HPUTBSMDA), where several decisions concerning fleet modernisation, electric mobility, bus routes and transport infrastructure were taken.
The Deputy Chief Minister directed the technical committee to expedite the process of finalising the prototype for the proposed 1,000 electric buses. He said the buses should have a battery range of more than 350 kilometres, enabling them to operate efficiently on longer routes across the state.
He said the government was committed to strengthening public transport while promoting cleaner and more sustainable mobility through the expansion of electric bus services.
366 Buses to Be Phased Out
The HRTC Board decided to take 366 buses off the road, including 12-metre buses currently operating under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM).
Agnihotri said old buses would be phased out gradually and replaced with new electric buses as part of efforts to modernise the corporation’s fleet.
At the same time, the Deputy Chief Minister directed officials to expedite the procurement of 250 new diesel buses for HRTC. He directed that a meeting of the Vehicle Purchase Committee be convened within 15 days to move the procurement process forward.
New E-Depot Approved for Kangra
The meeting also approved the establishment of a new electric bus depot in Kangra. E-depots have already been approved at Nadaun, Haroli, Theog and Nahan, while the Haroli E-Depot has already started operations.
Agnihotri said the new electric bus depots would help expand electric bus operations and strengthen charging infrastructure across Himachal Pradesh.
He also said buses currently operating under JNNURM would be brought under HRTC, which would enable the corporation to operate these buses on routes outside Himachal Pradesh as well.
No Route to Be Discontinued Without MD Approval
The Deputy Chief Minister directed that no HRTC bus route should be discontinued without the approval of the Managing Director. Regional Managers would not be authorised to close any route at their own level.
The decision is aimed at ensuring that changes to the HRTC route network are made through a centralised approval process.
City Centre Planned at Old Una Bus Stand
The meeting also approved the development of a City Centre at the site of the old bus stand in Una. Agnihotri directed the concerned officers to complete the drawings and other necessary preparations at the earliest.
Reviewing the progress of the new bus stand under construction at Mandi Bharari in Bilaspur district, he said the project was expected to be completed by February 15.
He directed officials to ensure that construction work continued as scheduled and that the project was completed within the stipulated timeframe.
