SHIMLA – Over 30 passengers from the Chanavag area were left stranded in the middle of their journey by an HRTC bus, sparking anger among commuters in Shimla rural segment.
The incident occurred on Friday, July 28, and exposed the villagers, including small children, elderly, and women, to potential bear attacks as they were left stranded for hours until late evening.
When their pleas went unaddressed the furious passengers staged a protest, forcing the bus to eventually return and take them to Chanavag.
However, this is not an isolated occurrence; the commuters on this route have been facing similar problems every now and then.
Local passengers, sharing their ordeal, revealed that the HRTC drivers have been repeatedly running the HRTC buses as they please.
Talking about the incident today, passengers said the bus going from Shimla Via Dhami to Chanavag only issued tickets up to Galu, leaving passengers stranded there for hours.
Passengers and their luggage were even forcefully pushed out of the bus by the conductor at Galu today when they tried to insist that the bus should drop them at Chanavag, charged Prakash Sharma and other passengers.
They recounted that the bus claimed to have a punctured tire when it reached Galu station again at around 5 pm, and then brazenly changed direction towards Shimla, abandoning the stranded passengers.
This flagrant disregard for passenger safety has become a routine for the drivers and conductors plying this route.
The worst affected are college girls, who are left with no choice but to rely on this bus to get back home. Many have to endure a treacherous 7-kilometer walk through Harshing Dhar and Darwakot forest, where bear attacks have previously claimed lives. Traveling on foot in the late evening poses immense risks to their safety, said SR Harnot, a renowned Hindi writer, who hails from Chanawag.
Local residents have expressed deep concern over the continuous negligence on this route, with bear attacks being a constant threat to pedestrians. The lack of proper transportation options has put innocent lives in danger time and again.
In response to the growing outrage, the Regional Manager of HRTC Unit 2 assured that a bus will be sent for the stranded passengers. He also pledged that if the driver and operator are found guilty, strict action will be taken, including possible suspension.
