New Policy: School Bus and Van Fares to be Regulated, New Policy May Be Approved Today

New Policy: The arbitrary fares of school buses and vans in the state may soon be curbed. A new policy could be approved in the State Transport Authority meeting to be held today. After that, strict action will be taken against operators charging exorbitant fares.

New Policy: A new policy has been prepared to determine the fares for school buses and vans. Until now, there was no official fare policy for school vehicles in Uttarakhand. Last year, a committee formed under the chairmanship of Joint Transport Commissioner Rajiv Mehra submitted a detailed report to the headquarters. In the meeting, considering the geographical conditions of the plains and hilly areas, fares can be agreed upon by creating two categories.

According to Sachin Gupta, president of the School Van Association, a van operator can manage expenses if they receive a minimum fare of Rs 2800 per student per month. They have proposed an increase in view of rising inflation. He argues that an increase is necessary considering GPS, cameras, fitness, insurance, and driver salaries.

12,000 School Buses and Vans

Thousands of people's livelihoods are associated with operating school vehicles in Uttarakhand. School transport in the state is not only a convenience but also a major source of employment. Approximately 12,000 school buses and vans are operating in the state. About 40,000 people are directly or indirectly associated with this sector, including drivers, conductors, and helpers. However, complaints of arbitrary fare collection by school vans and buses are continuously increasing in many areas. Keeping this in mind, a new policy has been prepared. The new policy could be finalised today.

Bus Service Started for Lakhimandal

Good news for passengers travelling to Lakhimandal, a famous tourist and mythological pilgrimage site in Jaunsar-Bawar. The Hill Depot of Roadways has started operating a direct bus service from Dehradun to Lakhimandal. With the addition of new buses to the fleet, a long-standing demand on this route has been met. Rakesh Kumar, Assistant General Manager of Hill Depot, stated that this bus service is being operated from the bus stand located at Dehradun Railway Station. The bus will depart daily from Dehradun (Railway Station Bus Stand) at 9:30 AM and reach Lakhimandal in the evening.