The Char Dham Yatra season in Uttarakhand is slated to start on May 2 but many buses of the Uttarakhand Transport Corporation (UTC) are awaiting repair at the roadways workshop here. With less than a week left for the Yatra to start, it is feared that if the bus fleet of the Transport Corporation is not made ready on time, the corporation might face a hard time trying to earn a profit.
The officials concerned appeared to be apathetic towards the need for timely repairs to these buses. The State Government claims to have ensured that arrangements are being made to ensure a convenient and safe pilgrimage for those undertaking the Char Dham Yatra. However, the condition of the roadways fleet of buses points towards official apathy.
According to information provided by reliable sources, at least 32 buses including 25 buses of the hill depot are awaiting various repair works at the roadways workshop in the State capital. The 2013 Yatra season had raised hopes for the loss making corporation making some profit but the June 2013 disaster prevented this from being achieved. On top of this, the corporation also had to sustain damage due to the disaster. The corporation has hopes from the Char Dham Yatra season this year but sources point out that the corporation’s fleet of buses is not fully prepared for the pilgrimage season. Spare parts have not reached the roadways workshop for some months now and this is preventing buses from being repaired. With at least 32 buses awaiting repairs at the workshop, spare parts will have to be provided in the next couple of days to repair at least some of these buses before the start of the Yatra season.
The Roadways Karmchari Sainyukt Parishad office bearer Ramchandra Raturi expressed concern at the situation and said that with the start of the Yatra season just a few days away, dozens of buses continue to await repair at the roadways workshop. The corporation should attempt to get these buses repaired on time otherwise the travelers might face problems due to lesser number of buses, he added.