Shimla: The Sukhu government’s HRTC luggage policy in Himachal Pradesh is creating headlines these days. As per the policy, a passenger can carry 30 kg of luggage for free during the journey. Yet, tickets are being issued to passengers for carrying items like cooker and heater. HRTC luggage policy came to highlight when ticket of a ‘Pressure cooker’ was issued to the passenger.
In the latest case, after the cooker, a case of issuing a ticket for a ‘heater’ has come to light. The Transport Department has charged Rs 264 for the heater here. HRTC conductor took a ticket for 1.5 kg heater from Mohan Lal, a student of Dharamshala’s Central University. Now the photo of the heater and ticket is going viral on social media. State BJP’s chief spokesperson and Sundernagar MLA Rakesh Jamwal has raised questions about the photo going viral on social media.
He said that the state’s Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri, who is in charge of the Transport Department, said that no passenger would be charged for luggage, but now after the cooker, fare has been charged for the heater as well from the passenger. Rakesh Jamwal said that the state government has been collecting taxes from the public unnecessarily for the last 2 years and nothing is done in public interest.
Let us tell you, Mohan Lal, a resident of Gadagusaini of Seraj in Mandi district, went from Shimla to Dharamshala on December 4. During this, apart from his ticket, when he boarded the bus, the conductor charged him a ticket of Rs 264 for carrying 1.5 kg heater.