-SATISH HANDA

Past scenario reveals that Haryana Roadways with 25 depots in the state having 3843 buses with the strength of 19663 employees in which over 12 lakh people travel covering nearly 11 lakh kilometres distance everyday incurring heavy loss since past many years. Information reveals that Haryana Roadways collected revenue worth Rs 1189 crore towards fare as against expenditure worth Rs 2038 crore in the year 2018-19 and lost amount worth Rs 20 each km. Similarly, during the year 2019-20 Haryana Roadways earned Rs 20 each km. as against expenditure of amount worth Rs 50 each km.

Information also reveals that Haryana Roadways suffered loss worth Rs 150 crore due to lock down declared by the government in the state because of Corona virus epidemic outbreak as such the movement of all buses remained suspended for a period of over two months and still Haryana Roadways bus services are suspended on most of the routes within as well as outside the state. Haryana Roadways is likely to suffer heavy losses in future in order to follow social distancing in the buses in which nearly 50% passengers are allowed to travel in the bus. Nearly 30 passengers are allowed to travel in the buses having capacity to accommodate 52 passengers, besides less number of passengers are travelling in buses at present as a precautionary measure as a result Haryana Roadways is going to have further losses due to present circumstances.

Vice President Haryana Roadways Workers Association Vijay Pal said that state government bureaucrats are planning to privatise Haryana Roadways since a long time, which is likely to severely harm social security in the state since lakhs of female students are travelling in Haryana Roadways buses every day free of cost, besides there are special concessions for women, old-age persons, journalists and people related to different categories travelling in Haryana Roadways buses will not be able to have such relaxations in case of privatization of Roadways, besides exploitation of large number of employees working in the department.  Vijay Pal said that Haryana Roadways suffer amount worth Rs 300 crore annually as extra burden due to such relaxations and free travelling in Haryana Roadways buses at present.

Information reveals, every government ruled over in Haryana state in past over two decades in order to save Haryana Roadways from losses tried to privatise Haryana roadways. Bhajan Lal government in the state proposed to convert Haryana Roadway to a Corporation in the state in 1993 but had to drop the idea when strongly opposed by the employees, followed by Congress as well as INLD governments when ruled over in Haryana state and now ruling BJP government, too, proposing privatization to save Haryana Roadways from losses and reduce burden over state government. Ruling BJP government sometime ago permitted 510 private buses in the state to run on per kilometre basis paying Rs 26 per kilometre to operators.