Shimla, Jun 10
Himachal Pradesh Road Transport Corporation have kept its 50 per cent staff on standby/alert to resume duty after June 14 as the state council of Ministers meeting may allow restoration of buses partly. New guidelines are expected from them for the ongoing Corona Curfew w.e.f June 14.
A official of HRTC informed on the condition of anonymity that 50 per cent staff was kept on alert to return to duty from Jun 14 onwards. We had also kept the half of the operational staff at alert on May 31 as the cabinet might have taken a similar call but it decided to continue with the lock down, he informed.
Currently HRTC eight buses are deployed on emergency duties for ferrying Medical staff by the Health department and around six senior citizen cabs were also deployed to facilitate the medical staff.
The operation of around 3000 HRTC buses had come to absolute halt on April 28 as the State Government came up with directive to not run even the public transport. In wake of which, those who are giving their emergency duties were forced to arrange their own transport or had to rely upon concerned department to facilitate them.
The idea also increased the traffic congestion in the Shimla town as people are forced to use their own individual vehicles to office. In fact due more personal usage of vehicles, peak hours traffic congestion in the capital is nearly similar to normal times, with of course, the missing buses on the roads.
Also, most common people are also forced to pool vehicles or to use their own for shopping of daily needs from the markets. People of the outskirts who mainly rely upon the public transport are facing hard times due to complete shut down of public transport during Corona Curfew. The idea to curtail the public transport not only increased the vagaries of common man but it has adversely impacted on their pockets as they have to spent more on the private buses and Taxies for coming to markets and for other works.
Road transport is the only mean for most common people in the state, especially those living in rural area and outskirts are completely cut of from the town(s) during this time are likely to be eased out with restoration of restrictions forth with, the official added.
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