HP to construct big bus stands on BOT basis

Shimla, Mar 15 (UNI) Himachal Pradesh Transport and Tourism Minister G S Bali today said big bus stands in the state will be constructed on BOT (built, operate and transfer) basis, while the smaller ones will be constructed by the State Bus Stand Management Authority.

Replying to a question by Mahinder Singh (BJP) during the Question Hour in the Assembly, he said as of now four bus stands of Shimla, Mandi, Kangra and Macleodganj were being built on BOT basis, a concept mooted by the previous BJP Government.

Mr Bali admitted that construction work on three bus stands in the state was in progress, while work on the Mandi bus stand was held up as the company concerned had refused to carry on the construction due to cost escalation of the project.

The considerable time taken in receiving the Centre's clearance for felling of trees, acquiring land from PWD and Forest departments and shifting of post office and petrol pump from the land acquired for the bus stand had escalated the cost of the project, he said.

He said efforts were still on to persuade the company to begin the work for which former MP from the Mandi constituency, Anil Sharma, had given a sum of Rs 50 lakh from his MP Local Development scheme (MPLAD) scheme.

Replying to a supplementary question by former chief minister Prem Kumar Dhumal (BJP) on filling of vacancies in the Agriculture Department, Agriculture Minister Raj Krishan Gaur said recruitment process was on and all functional posts would be filled soon.

Demanding that all posts in the department should be filled up soon, he said the plight of the farmers could well be understood under the Congress Government since posts in several categories in the department were laying vacant for years now.

The State Transport Minister, replying to a question by Ramesh Chand Dhawala (BJP), said the state government had not increased the passengers fares after April nine, 2003 and had only hiked the minimum fare from Re one to Rs two on November 28, last year.

UNI