Haryana Roadways set to resume interstate ops, awaits states’ nod
BACK ON TRACK Khattar govt plans services on 28 routes in Punjab, HP, Delhi, UP, Rajasthan
CHANDIGARH: Haryana Roadwaysdecision to drive out of the lockdown by running 29 buses initially and the eyebrow-raising move that passengers will have to book tickets online appears to have picked up pace.
But the Manohar Lal Khattarled BJP-JJP coalition government’s decision to restart bus operations on at least 28 interstate routes could not be implemented until Tuesday evening in the absence of green signal from the eight states to which Haryana had written letters on Monday.
When last Friday, after 51 days of the lockdown, Haryana Roadways buses from 10 depots had hit 29 routes, barely 200 passengers boarded the buses. And the Roadways had made modest income of about ₹43,000. Services on some routes were cancelled after witnessing just a single taker.
Five days later on Monday, the Roadways expanded its operation up to 65 different routes on which about 1,300 passengers travelled.
“We had to cancel services on 20 routes where the number of passengers was very less,” said Virender Kumar Dahiya, director, state transport.
MANDATORY ONLINE BOOKING DRAWS FLAK
In order to ensure social distancing in the wake of Covid-19 situation, maximum 30 passengers with confirmed online booked tickets are allowed to board a bus. The buses are starting from the state transport bus stands to the scheduled destinations and the passengers cannot board or disembark during the journey.
This digital push of online booking is also drawing flak as people in the hinterland are not tech-savvy.
“Everybody can’t book tickets online. Even people with access to internet and little knowledge about digital working cannot book tickets online. People are complaining against the condition of online booking of tickets,” said an official of the transport department.
As per the data, in past four days, the number of passengers travelling on most of the routes was above 25.
INTER-STATE ROUTES
Expressing optimism over receiving permission from other states to restart interstate bus operations, transport minister Mool Chand Sharma said, “We are waiting for the approval.”
He said Haryana has taken the initiative to start interstate bus operations and that the state government hasn’t received requests from any state seeking approval to run their buses. Haryana government has approached Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Punjab,
Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Delhi and Chandigarh, seeking consent to let its Roadways buses enter their territories.Under the new guidelines of the Union ministry of home affairs, passenger vehicles and buses have been allowed to run with mutual consent for interstate movement.
“We have made the beginning...request for the other routes would be made subsequently,” said the transport minister.