Maxi Cabs To Run On Loss Making Himachal Roadway Routes – Kishan Kapoor

Question Hour

Shimla: Faced with operating buses on many loss making routes, transport minister Kishan Kapoor today proposed to discontinue such routes and put maxi cab services in place that would provide employment to some people.

During question hour Karpoor responding to a question of Vipin Parmar (BJP) about some routes having been discontinued said that against a running cost of Rs 23.34 per kilometer some routes were only returning Rs 1 to Rs 2 per kilometer, which was adding to the loss of the corporation.

Himachal roadways were not in a position to run such routes and the government was contemplating offering these routes for maxi cab services that could ferry 6 to 12 people, said the minister. “The government could adopt a lenient view about taxes for operating such maxi-cab services,’ he said.

Education minister Ishwar Dass Dhiman in response to a question about more schools and colleges having been opened during 2007-08 than budgeted for said the government had constituted a committee to see the viability of the excess institutions opened by the previous government.

However, he categorically stated that no notified institution would be de-notified, a clarification that Kaul Singh of the congress had sought.

Dhiman disclosed that against a budget provision of 200 primary schools – 273 were opened; 50 middle schools – 189 were opened; 150 senior secondary schools – 244 were opened; and 5 colleges – 20 were opened in 2007-08.

In response a supplementary question by BK Chauhan (BJP) who sought to know whether action against officials and politicians could be taken for exceeding budget limits in opening new institutions, the minister simply said that the government would act in accordance to the committee report studying the viability of the new institutions opened.

Gulab Singh Thakur, the PWD minister said that government would inquire into a matter of purchasing diesel by Pangi division from a distant petrol pump. The matter appears to smack of political favoritism as the petrol pump was owned by Amit Kumar, the son of former legislator Thakur Singh Bharmauri, said Gulab Singh.

Ravinder Makhaik

As Editor, Ravinder Makhaik leads the team of media professionals at Hill Post.

In a career spanning over two decades through all formats of journalism in Electronic, Print and Online Media, he brings with him enough experience to steer this platform. He lives in Shimla.