Haryana Roadways receives lukewarm response on Day 1

BUSES FROM EIGHT DEPOTS OPERATED WITH 196 PASSENGERS, EARNING A REVENUE OF ₹42,580

AMBALA: Haryana Roadways received lukewarm public response on the resumption of bus services on Friday.

The services were closed since chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar had announced lockdown in view of the coronavirus pandemic on March 23.

On Day 1, buses from eight depots operated to and fro on several routes with 196 passengers, earning a total revenue of ₹42,580 to the roadways.

As per the data provided by the directorate of state transport, government of Haryana, seven buses that hit the roads were from Panchkula, the largest number among all the depots. Almost 35% of the passengers (68) that travelled from various districts in the public carrier were from Panchkula depot itself.

Further, only one passenger travelled between Panchkula and Karnal in the morning, while a maximum of 20 passengers took the journey from Narnaul to Rewari late afternoon. 29 ROUTES DESIGNATED As many as 29 routes were designated for the resumption of the bus service, but nine of them were suspended in absence of bookings.

A Kaithal-bound passenger was stuck in Ambala due to the unannounced cancellation of the bus service. Sanjeev, an assistant professor, travelled from Nawanshahr (SBS Nagar) in Punjab to Ambala Cantonment (Haryana) to board a bus for his home, but was stranded due to the suspension of the service.

“I travelled with a friend on a two-wheeler early morning with a curfew pass and the ticket that I had booked online. On reaching Ambala Cantonment bus stand, I came to know that I was the only passenger travelling to Kaithal and this was the reason they suspended the bus service. I didn’t receive any cancellation message and now, I’m stuck here,” he said.

The guidelines issued on Thursday said that only passengers with online tickets would be allowed to board the buses and no window tickets would be sold.