Few takers, HRTC cancels Chamba-Doda bus service

The Himachal Road Transport Corporation (HRTC) has discontinued its only bus service on the Chamba-Doda route, citing low passenger turnout. The route, which traverses the scenic Padri Jot mountain pass at 10,500 feet in the Pir Panjal Range, will now terminate at Langera, a village on the Himachal-Jammu and Kashmir border. This change leaves locals, especially young workers commuting to hydroelectric projects in the Union Territory, with limited travel options.

Without the bus service, commuters will now have to rely on expensive private vehicles or taxis to cover the 168-km journey between Chamba and Doda. The only alternative is a lengthier and more inconvenient route through Pathankot or Basholi. Local residents, including Ram Singh, Rajesh Kumar, and Sunil Sharma, have voiced their concerns, urging HRTC to restore the service. They highlight the high costs of taxi travel and the lack of affordable public transport options.

Shugal Singh, Regional Manager of HRTC in Chamba, explained that the route initially had a satisfactory number of passengers. However, ridership dwindled, possibly due to the onset of winter, making it difficult to sustain operations. As a result, the bus will now operate only between Chamba and Langera, via Salooni.

The Chamba-Doda bus service was launched in early July to connect people in Chamba’s remote areas with their relatives across the border. The fare for the journey was set at Rs 326 per person. However, the service was suspended just 10 days after its launch due to terrorist attacks in the Doda region. It was later resumed on July 30 and had continued uninterrupted until this recent decision to curtail the route.

Locals are now appealing to HRTC to reconsider the discontinuation and restore the full service to ease the financial burden on travellers.