To provide a convenient and comfortable journey to the people of the State, the Pepsu Road Transport Corporation (PRTC) will add 219 new buses to its fleet for new routes under the kilometer scheme.

The state Transport Minister Laljit Singh Bhullar, informing the new development, said that PRTC was in dire need to meet the demand of the new routes, hence it has been decided to add 219 ordinary new buses to the PRTC fleet. The approval in this regard was already accorded by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, he said.

“Process of including the buses under kilometer scheme has been initiated and a tender has already been floated, the last date for which is August 2,” he said.

Bhullar said that the operator or bus owner of the kilometer scheme will provide a completely new bus to PRTC. Maintenance of the bus, driver, insurance, or loan repayment etc will be the sole responsibility of the operator or bus owner, and the monthly payment will be made to the owner as per the minimum rate of the tender and according to the kilometers completed by the owner's bus, said the Minister.

PRTC will provide only a conductor for the bus and route income from the bus will be credited to the account of the PRTC, said the Transport Minister, adding that with these 219 new buses, whereas PRTC will be able to meet its set mileage and provide better travel facilities to the people, on the other hand this decision will increase the income of the PRTC and also create employment opportunities for the youth of the state.