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Bus Services in Himachal Resumed, Read All Directions for Passengers, Staff, Management
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Shimla– The Department of Transport, Himachal Pradesh, has issued notification confirming nod to restoring public transport within the State from June 1, 2020. The transport services would be allowed only between 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM. The buses are allowed to ply with a maximum of 60 per cent seating capacity to maintain social distancing. The District Magistrate and Superintendent of Police have been directed to provide adequate police force for crowd management
General directions have been issued for the staff and passengers.
GENERAL CONDITIONS: –
- The District Magistrate and Superintendent of Police shall provide adequate police force for crowd management and law & order maintenance at all bus stands.
- All Stage Carriage buses (except AC buses) shall operate on their respective routes.
- To maintain social distancing and avoid overcrowding in above-said buses, the occupancy shall be maintained at no more than 60%.
- All passengers shall wear masks from the time of boarding till alighting from the bus.
- Driver, conductor and passengers should undergo self-monitoring for flu-like symptoms and in case any symptom appears, then she/ he shall report the same to the nearest health institutions.
- The buses shall be sanitized completely in the late evening hours or early morning before plying on their routes. The critical areas/touch points in the bus must be sanitized, periodically during the day.
- All safety protocols of the Health Department shall be followed by driver, conductor and passengers.
- No standing passengers shall be allowed in the buses during the journey.
- No e-pass shall be required for inter and intra district movement. However, for inter-state journey passengers must have e-pass issued by the District Magistrate.
- The Gram Panchayat/Municipal Committee shall render all possible assistance to the private operators and HRTC for boarding and lodging arrangement as and when demanded.
PROTOCOL FOR BUS STAND, BUSES AND STAFF: –
(a) At Bus Stand
- The entry/exit points shall be managed jointly by the team of District Administration, Health and Police department to ensure health check-up, screening and maintenance of Law & Order.
- Aarogya Setu App status would be checked preferably (for compatible device only) to ensure that passenger is free of COVID-19 symptoms. Passenger with “Red” status in AarogyaSetu App would not be permitted to travel.
- Only passenger(s) shall be allowed to enter the bus stand through single-entry point.
- Every toilet shall be sanitized and must have soap dispenser.
- HRTC shall ensure availability of masks, hand sanitizers at bus stands and their price shall all be regulated the Regional Manager
- Bus Stand Management and Development Authority shall ensure adequate signages to guide the passengers.
- Public announcement system at bus shall regularly disseminate information about the precautions to be followed during travel.
- Physical distance of at least one meter shall be ensured while boarding and de-boarding.
- Proper queue system should be followed during boarding and at the ticket counter.
- Anyone moving inside the bus stand shall mandatorily wear the face cover.
- Adequate bins shall be placed for disposal of used material like etc. All such waste to be handled and disposed of as per the prescribed procedures.
- HRTC shall ensure that person sitting at cash counters be provided with adequate safety protective gears like gloves, masks, face cover, face shields, hand sanitizers etc.
(b). Inside the bus (passenger protocol)
- All passengers shall wear mask/face cover throughout the journey and ensure that co-passenger shall also wear masks.
- Passengers must use hand sanitizers regularly during their journey for their safety.
- It shall be ensured that only 60% of seats are occupied and seats marked as “Not to be used” are left vacant.
- Avoid unnecessary touching of common contact points.
- Avoid travelling in case of any illness. In case of emergency and illness, inform to the conductor for maintaining physical distancing during the journey.
- In case of any symptoms of illness of co-passenger, the information shall be provided to crew members of the bus.
(c). Bus protocol
- Boarding and de-boarding in the bus shall be from the rear and front door respectively.
- A sticker shall be pasted on seats marked as “Not to be used”.
- Every alternate seat shall be left unoccupied i.e. in case of three seats, middle seats, shall be left unoccupied and in case of two seats, only window seat shall be occupied.
- While issuing the tickets, the conductor shall avoid physical contact with the passengers and maintain proper physical distance.
- Passenger must assist the driver/conductor to maintain 60% occupancy.
- Proper ventilation must be maintained during the journey by opening the window glasses.
- Buses shall be stopped for boarding and de-boarding on the designated bus stands/stops only.
- Stage Carriage buses can pass through containment zones, however, boarding and de-boarding of passenger(s) shall be strictly prohibited within containment zones.
- Regional Manager, HRTC shall ensure that the proper hygiene and cleanliness is maintained at authorized Dhabas for passenger’s safety, which are to be notified by the District Magistrate.
(d) Conductor
- He shall wear mask/face cover, gloves and face shield throughout the journey.
- While issuing tickets, he/she shall ensure physical distancing from the passengers.
- He shall not allow passenger(s) to be seated on the seat marked as “Not to be used”.
- He shall educate passenger(s) about the protocol to be followed during the journey and ensure that all safety precautions are adhered to by the all concerned.
- He shall ensure proper ventilation in the bus.
(e) Driver
- HRTC/Private operators shall ensure proper segregation of a separate cabin for the driver. He shall ensure minimum contact with the passengers and the public.
- He shall use protective gears like masks/face cover hand sanitizers etc.
(f) Way Side Amenities protocol
1, Proper sanitization and cleanliness must be ensured in the dining area, kitchen and toilets at Dhabas/restaurants.
2. Every Dhaba/restaurant must have sanitised for public use.
3. Soap dispenser must be available in the toilet and each washbasin.
4.Seating arrangement in the dining area must be such that proper physical distancing be maintained.
Any violation of these orders will be subject to prosecution under relevant provisions of the National Disaster Management Act 2005, the Motor Vehicle Act 1988 and such other laws as may apply.
News
HP Cabinet Decisions: Nod to 60-day special maternity leave for female employees and declaration of pending results for 699 posts
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SHIMLA — February 15, 2025 — The Himachal Pradesh Cabinet, led by Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, convened today and approved a series of decisions affecting governance, infrastructure, and public welfare.
Budget Session Schedule
The Cabinet recommended to the Governor that the budget session of the Himachal Pradesh Vidhan Sabha be held from March 10, 2025, to March 28, 2025.
The Cabinet also approved 60-day special maternity leave for female government employees in the event of a stillbirth or the death of a child soon after birth.
HP Cabinet Approves Declaration of Pending Results
The Cabinet approved the declaration of pending results for 699 posts across six post codes, excluding tainted positions. The posts include:
- Market Supervisor (Post Code-977)
- Fireman (Post Code-916)
- Drawing Master (Post Code-980)
- Clerks (HP Secretariat, Post Code-962)
- Lineman (Post Code-971)
- Steno-Typist (Post Code-928)
New posts created across multiple departments:
- Police Department:
- Upgraded Police Chowki Sanjauli to a Police Station, adding 20 new posts.
- Established Police Post Baghi under Police Station Kotkhai with six posts.
- Fire & Emergency Services:
- Approved a new Fire Post at Nerwa (Shimla district) with 17 posts.
- Revenue Department:
- Created nine Tehsildar posts.
- Planning Department:
- Approved filling three posts.
- Treasury, Accounts & Lotteries Department:
- Sanctioned three Treasury Officer posts.
- Public Health & Infrastructure:
- Established a Primary Health Centre at Basheel (Solan) with three posts.
- Created new Jal Shakti Vibhag Divisions at Kangra and Jagatkhana (Bilaspur) with required staffing.
- Approved a new Sub-Tehsil at Loharghat (Solan).
Education and Medical Advancements
The Cabinet approved:
- Higher Education:
- Upgraded 16 Assistant Professors to Associate Professors at HP Government Dental College, Shimla.
- Technical Education:
- Introduced B.Tech (Artificial Intelligence & Data Science) and B.Tech (Computer Science) at Rajiv Gandhi Government Engineering College, Nagrota Bagwan (Kangra), with eight new faculty posts.
- Added B.Tech (Civil Engineering) at Atal Bihari Vajpayee Government Institute of Engineering & Technology, Pragatinagar (Shimla), with seven posts.
- Launched a diploma course in Computer Science & Engineering (AI & ML) at Government Polytechnic College, Sundernagar (Mandi).
- Medical Developments:
- Established a Department of Nuclear Medicine at Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri Medical College, Nerchowk (Mandi), adding specialist posts.
- Approved hiring an Assistant Professor in Immunohematology and Blood Transfusion at Dr. Y.S. Parmar Government Medical College, Nahan (Sirmaur).
- Allowed allopathic doctors full salary during study leave, whether in India or abroad.
Police Reforms and Infrastructure Development
The HP Cabinet categorized all 135 police stations into six tiers based on:
- Population
- Area
- Crime rate
- Traffic volume
- Interstate borders
- Tourist influx
Staffing will be adjusted accordingly to enhance law enforcement.
Transport and Revenue Enhancements
The Cabinet approved an auction-cum-tender process for entry tax collection in FY 2025-26, estimating ₹11.56 crore in additional revenue. FASTag systems will be introduced at entry toll barriers, starting with:
- Garamaura (Bilaspur)
- Parwanoo (Main) & Tiara Bypass (Solan)
- Govindghat (Sirmaur)
- Kandwal (Nurpur)
- Mehatpur (Una)
- Baddi (Solan)
Administrative Reorganization
The Cabinet approved reorganizing Namhol Sub-Tehsil (Bilaspur) by integrating eight patwar circles from Sadar Tehsil.
News
Kotkhai Custodial Death Case: CBI Court Sentences IGP Zaidi, 7 Other Policemen to Life Imprisonment
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SHIMLA – A special CBI court has convicted and sentenced Inspector General of Police (IGP) Zahur Haider Zaidi and seven other policemen to life imprisonment in connection with the 2017 custodial death case of 29-year-old Suraj Singh.
CBI Public Prosecutor Amit Jindal argued for exemplary punishment, emphasizing the gravity of the crime.
After considering the arguments, CBI Special Judge Alka Malik sentenced the eight police personnel to life imprisonment.
On January 18, the accused were found guilty under Sections 302, 330, 348, 218, 195, 196, 201, and 120B of the IPC in connection with the custodial death of suspect Suraj Singh. However, the court acquitted former Shimla SP DW Negi.
The incident occurred on July 18, 2017, when Suraj Singh, an accused in the alleged gang rape and murder of a minor girl in Kotkhai, Shimla district, died in police custody. The CBI investigation revealed that Suraj Singh was tortured and murdered by police personnel.
The court convicted Zaidi, who was the then Inspector General of Police, along with seven other policemen, including Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Manoj Joshi, Sub-Inspector Rajinder Singh, Assistant Sub-Inspector Deep Chand Sharma, Head Constables Mohan Lal, Surat Singh, and Rafee Mohammad, and Constable Ranjit Sateta.
CBI public prosecutor Amit Jindal stated that the court sentenced the eight convicts to life imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs 1 lakh each on them. The accused were convicted under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including murder, voluntarily causing hurt to extort confession, and wrongful confinement to extract confession.
News
HP Cabinet Decisions: Approves Pilot Study on Cannabis Cultivation, Seema College Renamed as Raja Virbhadra Singh Govt. College
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Shimla-The State Cabinet, in its recent meeting held at Dharamshala in Kangra district, made several key decisions across various sectors.
Cannabis Cultivation Study:
The Cabinet approved a pilot study on cannabis cultivation, which will be jointly conducted by Chaudhary Sarwan Kumar Krishi Vishvavidyalaya in Kangra and Dr. Y.S. Parmar University of Horticulture in Solan. The study aims to evaluate the potential of cannabis cultivation and recommend future actions. The Agriculture Department will serve as the nodal agency for this initiative.
Disaster Relief for Tandi Village:
The Cabinet extended the special relief package for disaster-affected families to those impacted by the fire in Tandi Village, Kullu. Under the package, families with fully damaged houses will receive Rs. 7 lakh, those with partially damaged houses will receive Rs. 1 lakh, and families who lost cowsheds will receive Rs. 50,000. Additionally, monthly rental assistance of Rs. 5,000 will be provided to affected families until June 30, 2025.
Robotic Surgery Equipment Procurement:
The Cabinet approved Rs. 56 crore for the procurement of state-of-the-art machinery and equipment for robotic surgery at AIMSS Chamiyana in Shimla and Dr. Rajendra Prasad Government Medical College in Tanda, Kangra. The approval follows a model similar to AIIMS New Delhi, aimed at enhancing medical facilities.
Forest Department Order Amendment:
The Cabinet amended the Forest Department’s previous order to allow the extraction of berberis roots (Kashmal) until February 15, 2025. Furthermore, it permitted the transportation of forest produce extracted from open spaces prior to January 4, 2025, until February 15, 2025, in line with the HP Forest Produce Transit (Land Routes) Rules, 2013.
Ropeway Project and Transportation Improvements:
The Cabinet approved the establishment of a ropeway between Kullu Bus Stand and Peej Paragliding Point. Additionally, it sanctioned the procurement of 24 air-conditioned super luxury buses for the Himachal Road Transport Corporation (HRTC) to improve passenger services.
Rural Development and Infrastructure Reorganization:
Nine posts of Block Development Officers will be filled in the Department of Rural Development. The Cabinet also approved the reorganization of the PWD National Highway Circle in Shahpur, creating two new divisions, Nankhadi and Kholighat, and the Kharahan Section.
State Taxes and Excise Enforcement:
To enhance enforcement, the Cabinet approved the allocation of 100 motorbikes to field offices of the State Taxes and Excise Department for surprise checks and improved monitoring.
State Cadre Posts:
The Cabinet decided to bring the posts of Drivers, all Class-III and Class-IV posts in District Collector (DC) offices, and staff members in the offices of the three Divisional Commissioners, Director of Land Records, Revenue Training Institute (Jogindernagar), Directorate of Consolidation of Holdings (Shimla), and the Settlement Offices in Kangra and Shimla under the State Cadre. This move aims to standardize governance and improve administrative efficiency.
Educational Institutions Renamed:
The Cabinet approved the renaming of several educational institutions. Government College Seema in Shimla will now be known as Raja Virbhadra Singh Government College Seema. GGSSS Sports Hostel (Girls) Jubbal will be renamed Sh. Ram Lal Thakur GGSSS Sports Hostel (Girls), Jubbal, and Government College Khad in Una will be renamed Mohan Lal Dutt Government College Khad.
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