No More Dhaba Halts! New Instructions and GPS Application to Haryana Roadways Buses for Safe and In-Time Journey
Chandigarh — Transport Minister of Haryana Anil Vij on Wednesday revealed new instructions as a plan to betterment of passenger services and enhancement of road safety measures. Haryana Roadways buses shall not halt at any private dhabas henceforth. Those vehicles, which come without number plates will also be dealt with accordingly. Right from the spot, number plates of such vehicles will be seized.
Restriction on Pausing at Private Dhabas
Vij in a meeting with transport officials instructed that buses of Haryana Roadways should not halt anywhere other than designated bus stands, official canteens or authorized dhabas. This policy would avoid the stoppages made by drivers at private places on various occasions, which caused inconvenience to passengers. The transport department will take initiatives to develop food services at bus stands and authorized dhabas with quality and in adequate numbers so that the passengers don't rely much on private halts.
"Drivers found violating these orders by stopping at private dhabas will face strict actions," said Vij. The minister added that this measure is to ensure that passengers are not compelled to eat at private establishments due to unscheduled stops. Instead, the department is working to upgrade facilities at official stops and create a more organized travel experience.
Crackdown on Unregistered Vehicles
Apart from the new bus stop policies, Vij announced zero-tolerance toward unregistered vehicles on Haryana roads. The minister was alarmed by the large number of vehicles plying without number plates and said any such vehicle found on the roads would be seized on the spot.
Digital App for Bus Timings and Routes
As a measure to enhance transparency and convenience to the passenger, Vij suggested developing a digital app for Haryana Roadways. The GPS-integrated app would provide the user with details of bus timings, routes, and actual locations. "This application would be GPS-enabled. It would be easy for both the officers and the general public to track the buses, thus ensuring service reliability," Vij said. This app would prove very handy for students as well as rural passengers, who use Haryana Roadways buses.
Upgrading the Bus Stands
Minister Vij also focused on the development of better infrastructure at bus stands all over Haryana. He further directed the officials to include facilities like clean drinking water, sitting arrangements, lightning, and fans at the stops. Vij further encouraged his officials to make quality food stalls in every bus station that look like railway station models. The aim is to make the passengers feel safe and comfortable inside the buses.
Food Hygiene and Safety
To ensure that food items available to the passengers in the buses are safe for consumption, the transport department will also liaise with the food safety teams to carry out regular appraisals of food hygiene in bus stand canteens. The letter has already been sent to the relevant department so that all the food sold at the bus stops is ensured hygiene compliance.
Compliance Monitoring in Private Buses
Vij emphasized that proper routes should be followed for the private buses, in rural areas where bus services are a necessity. He directed for more monitoring so that the private buses should cover up all routes as given in the license and must not cover up alternative routes other than the assigned paths.
These measures of the Haryana Transport Department indicate a higher commitment to bettering road safety, quality of service, and infrastructure while making public transport safer for all passengers in Haryana.
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