Shimla: Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu launched the ‘Challan2 Pay’ initiative, enabling people to make secure and real-time digital payments against transport challans at the spot where they are issued.
The new facility is aimed at ending the inconvenience of visiting government offices to deposit challan amounts. Under the system, Transport Department officials will be equipped with Point-of-Sale (POS) machines provided by Axis Bank, allowing motorists and other challan recipients to make digital payments immediately.
The Chief Minister said the initiative would strengthen transparency and accountability in the collection of challan revenue. A digital record of every transaction will be maintained, while the collected amount will be directly deposited into the state treasury. The system is also expected to reduce cash transactions and minimise the possibility of revenue leakage.
HRTC to Get 1,500 New E-Buses
Reviewing the functioning of the Himachal Road Transport Corporation (HRTC), Sukhu announced that the state government would provide 1,500 new electric buses to the corporation in the coming period.
He directed that the new e-buses should have a minimum range of 350 kilometres and be specifically suited to the hilly terrain of Himachal Pradesh.
The Chief Minister said 297 e-buses had already been provided to HRTC, with more to be inducted as part of efforts to make the corporation more self-reliant.
The government is also considering the introduction of hydrogen-powered buses in the state. Sukhu said HRTC would procure 100 green hydrogen buses and 100 Super Deluxe buses in the coming period.
Focus on Charging Infrastructure
Sukhu directed officials to accelerate the development of e-charging infrastructure across Himachal Pradesh to support the growing electric bus fleet.
He also announced that 30 electric vehicles would be provided to HRTC officers. The Chief Minister further directed that the HRTC operations in Una district and the Regional Manager’s office at Nalagarh be made fully operational with electric buses.
Transport Department Revenue Nearly Doubles
During the review meeting of the Transport Department, Sukhu said the department’s revenue had registered a substantial increase in recent years.
According to the government, Transport Department revenue increased from Rs 510 crore in 2021-22 to Rs 995 crore in 2025-26. The Chief Minister assured the department of all possible government support for filling vacant posts.
E-Buses Delivering Savings: Agnihotri
Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri said HRTC remained the lifeline of Himachal Pradesh, providing transport services to people living in remote and inaccessible areas.
He highlighted the environmental and economic benefits of the transition to electric buses, saying their operation was helping reduce costs for the corporation.
According to Agnihotri, HRTC was saving Rs 18.19 per kilometre through the operation of e-buses, making the shift towards cleaner public transport significant from both environmental and financial perspectives.
