HP to get 1,000 new buses under JNNURM scheme

DHARAMSALA: At least 1,000 new buses will be provided to Himachal Pradesh under the Centre's Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission( JNNURM) scheme to strengthen the communication and transport facilities between its local and urban areas.

"1,000 buses are provided under JNNURM scheme by the Centre to promote public transport and to reduce traffic congestion and pollution," state Urban Development minister Sudhir Sharma told reporters.

"Once the buses are handed over to Himachal it will cater to the local communication needs of the municipal areas and these will not be given to Himachal Road Transport Corporation (HRTC)," Sharma said.

The Union government had provided few buses to Shimla a couple of years back but they were handed over to HRTC, the minister said.

"The Union government is spending more than Rs 4,900 crore to provide 14,695 buses for the various mission cities under JNNURM. The buses supplied to the cities and hill states are of mid-size category for an easier travel," he informed.