100 HRTC loss-making bus routes nonoperational: Mukesh Agnihotri
Himachal Pradesh Government informed the state assembly on Wednesday that 100 loss-making bus routes which were not operational during Covid Pandemic have closed as it is not viable for the HRTC to continue them.
Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri informed the house while replying to a query raised by Vinod Sultanpuri ( Kasauli) that only the Manali-Manikaran HRTC route closed during the Covid pandemic was restored by the HRTC. He said that ten worn-out buses in Kasauli were to be replaced soon but they could not be plied on loss-making routes.
He said that HRTC running a book value loss of Rs 1300 Crore and Rs 400 to Rs 500 Crore is of pending liabilities of employees. Minister said that Rs 70 Crore was released by the state government to meet the liabilities of HRTC employees on their pension.
He said that 500 new rural routes would be advertised soon by the government to provide self-employment avenues to the youths. He said that HRTC could not be run without HRTC buses but members would be accommodated to restore some of the loss making routes to an extent.
He said that HRTC buses could be deployed on loss-making routes to an extent as the government is also concerned about its increasing book value loss and pending liabilities and ultimately it has to be governed by the state government.
