In view of huge turnout of the pilgrims in the ongoing Char Dham Yatra, the State transport department is mulling over a proposal to induct buses from neighbouring states for the benefit of the Yatris. A total of 1250 buses of state transport corporations and private services like GMOU, KMOU and TGMOU and contract carriage vehicles are at present deployed in the Char Dham Yatra.
More than 2.5 lakh pilgrims have already paid obeisance at Badrinath and Kedarnath shrines after their portals were opened this year. It is expected that the Yatra would peak during the first fortnight of June and when that happens more vehicles would be needed to ferry them. The additional secretary Transport Harish Chandra Semwal told The Pioneer that transport corporations of other states would be contacted for providing buses for the Yatra. He however added that the fitness of the vehicles would be thoroughly checked before inducting them in the Yatra.
The induction of large number of buses from the state transport corporation on the Yatra route has affected the services in other parts of the state. The officials admit that they are operating with a much reduced fleet. It is learnt that 40 percent of fleet of the state transport corporation has been diverted to Char Dham Yatra. With buses of prominent private operators like GMOU, TGMOU and KMOU also inducted in large numbers on Yatra route people in different parts of the state are facing problems due to the acute shortage of buses.
To add to their woes private taxis which used to ferry commuters in different routes are plying on Yatra routes. In such a situation the people of the state would get a respite if buses and other vehicles from other states are inducted into the Yatra route.
However lack of experience of driving in hills and fitness of the vehicles for the strenuous Yatra route could act as an impediment in the plans of officials to summon buses from neighbouring states in the Char Dham Yatra.