Shimla: Due to rains in Himachal Pradesh, routes from 1400 of HRTC were closed. HRTC management has restored 800 routes out of those closed due to rain. However, bus service is still closed on 600 routes across the state.
Apart from this, hundreds of HRTC buses were stranded at different places across the state due to landslides and flash floods. Most of these buses have reached their respective depots safely, while 136 buses are still stuck.
According to HRTC management, maximum 50 buses of Kullu depot are stuck in different areas. 32 buses of the Taradevi and Nerwa depots of Shimla district have not yet returned.
It has been almost ten days since these buses were stranded. According to the information received from the HRTC management, the damage caused to bus stands and workshops due to disruption of services in various areas and rains has crossed six crores.
At present, the total loss of HRTC is said to be more than 1355 crores. At present the condition is that the pension of HRTC workers and pensioners is dependent on the government.
HRTC has to take an amount of Rs 69 crore every month from the government for the salary of the employees and the pension of the pensioners.
HRTC operates buses on a total of 3600 routes across the state, but HRTC services have been closed on hundreds of routes since last one week. HRTC buses are the main mode of transport in most areas of the state.