COURTESY HT OCT 14

HP to resume interstate bus service from today
Only non-AC buses will ply on designated routes for now, says transport minister Bikram Singh
HT Correspondent

letterschd@hindustantimes.com

Shimla : The state-run Himachal Road Transport Corporation (HRTC) will partially resume its interstate bus service, which was suspended in March to contain Covid-19 spread, from Wednesday, transport minister Bikram Singh on Tuesday. However, only non-AC bus service has been resumed for now.

In a statement issued here on Tuesday, the minister stated that the interstate bus service would be resumed on 25 routes in the first phase. These routes include Pathankot, Hoshiarpur and Ludhiana in Punjab, Ambala in Haryana, Haridwar in Uttarakhand and Union Territory Chandigarh, he added. Only non AC buses will ply on interstate routes and night bus service has also been included in it. Singh further said that the interstate bus service would be started from October 14 onwards in view of the upcoming festive season and Navratri.

The bus service would also be started for other states shortly, he added. Covid-19 guidelines would be strictly followed during resumption of interstate bus service, the minister said.

Virus claims three more lives in HP

Himachal Pradesh on Tuesday recorded three more Covid-19 deaths, taking the death toll to 249, officials said.

One death each was reported in Kangra, Mandi and Solan districts. The state also reported 184 new coronavirus cases. The virus tally has risen to 17,762. Also, 311 more patients have been cured, taking overall recoveries to 14,985. Active cases in the state stand at 2,507.

Of the fresh infections, 38 cases were reported in Shimla district, 30 in Mandi, 23 in Kangra, 20 in Sirmaur, 18 cases each in Lahaul-Spiti and Bilaspur, nine in Hamirpur, eight in Kullu, seven in Solan, six each in Una and Chamba districts and one in Kinnaur district.