COVID-19 Pandemic Today Has Shaken Up The Entire World Said Haryana Transport Minister.

Chandigarh, June 4- Haryana Transport Minister Mr. Mool Chand Sharma said that the COVID-19 Pandemic today has shaken up the entire world.  Transport Department employees certainly deserve a big applause for the dedication and devotion shown by them while performing their duties in this difficult time.  He said that 867 buses would have been added to the fleet of Haryana Roadways, if COVID-19 Pandemic would not have occurred.

The Transport Minister said this while presiding over a meeting with the representatives of the Roadways Coordination Committee here today.

In the meeting, discussions were held on various issued including  allowing the private operators to operate buses under the Stage Carriage Scheme on 273 routes as per the Supreme Court order, increasing the number of buses in the department’s fleet, withdraw the action taken under ESMA and amend the pay scale of the conductors. Besides this, discussion was held on various issues including giving approval for the posts of yardmaster and issues related to leave to be given in the workshops were discussed amicably. During the meeting, Committee representatives shared several valuable suggestions.

The Minister while giving a patient hearing to the demands made by the employees assured them that all their legitimate demands would be met at the earliest. He said that for him interest of the department and its employees is of topmost priority. He said that no delay would be made in the promotional cases of the employees. He said that 82 posts of yardmasters have been sanctioned in the department so that the conductors can be promoted on these posts. Over the issue of pending payment of employees, he has directed the officers’ concerned to send the list of arrears of employees to the headquarters through the concerned general manager. Along with this, he also directed to build separate cabins for drivers and conductors in the buses.

Addressing the department officers, he said that in the changed scenario the role of every person has also changed. This is the reason why policemen, apart from their duties, have distributed ration to the needy. Doctors and Para-medical staff have done their duty in odd circumstances and various social organizations have also played an important role during this period. He said that the work of the Transport Department is not to earn profits but to serve the people.

The Principal Secretary, Transport Department Mr. Anurag Rastogi said that the work of giving regular permits to private operators is being done in accordance with the decision of the Supreme Court. He said that soon a meeting of RTA secretaries would be convened to discuss various issues related to making time-table of buses, finalizing routes, and ensuring compliance of government orders. He said that a video conferencing of depot general managers would also be held shortly.

In the meeting, Director, State Transport Department, Mr. Virender Kumar Dahiya, Transport Commissioner, Mr. Dr. S.S. Phulia and Additional Director, State Transport, Mr. Samwartak Singh, other senior officers of the department were also present.