Shimla: The operations of the corporation’s bus services have been halted along the Chaupal and Kalpa routes, presenting significant operational hurdles. It is expected that these routes will recommence services once weather conditions improve, with plans set to kickstart operations from Tuesday onwards.
Within the Shimla division of HRTC, a total of 121 routes encountered disruptions on Monday, primarily attributed to the closure of 26 roads due to snowfall and landslides. This unfortunate circumstance left 37 buses stranded, although 19 were able to resume service on Monday. Notably, the Rohru depot bore the brunt of the disruption, with as many as 50 routes affected. Additionally, routes in Taradevi and Nerva depot, specifically Chaupal and Kalpa, remained non-operational.
In other regions such as Mandol, Devnagar, and Madi, a total of 34 routes were impacted, resulting in 21 buses being immobilized. The Reckong Peo depot also encountered disruptions, with 21 routes affected and 7 buses stranded. Pawan Sharma, the HRTC Divisional Manager, emphasized the extensive ramifications within the Shimla division, underscoring the challenges posed by the closure of 26 roads, which resulted in the stranding of 37 corporation buses.
The widespread disruptions highlight the vulnerability of transportation infrastructure to adverse weather conditions, emphasizing the need for robust contingency plans and proactive measures to mitigate operational disruptions in the future.