Shimla: Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri today chaired the 164th meeting of the Board of Directors of the Himachal Road Transport Corporation (HRTC) and the 73rd meeting of the Himachal Pradesh Urban Transport and Bus Stand Management and Development Authority (HPUTBSMDA).

The Deputy Chief Minister directed officials to expedite the procurement process for 250 new diesel buses for HRTC. He directed that a meeting of the Vehicle Purchase Committee be convened within 15 days so that the procurement process could be taken forward without delay.
He said the state government was committed to strengthen public transport and promoting cleaner and more sustainable mobility through the expansion of electric bus services.
Agnihotri said that no HRTC bus route would be discontinued without the approval of the Managing Director. Regional Managers would not be authorized to close any route at their own level.

The Deputy Chief Minister said that buses currently operating under the JNNURM would be brought under HRTC, enabling the Corporation to operate these buses on routes outside Himachal Pradesh as well.