In a major green initiative, the Himachal Pradesh government has drawn up a plan to phase out more than nine-year-old buses of the Himachal Road Transport Corporation (HRTC), besides doubling the registration fee and token tax on diesel vehicles.
"The process to phase out the nine-year-old buses of HRTC would start from January 1, 2016 and other measures to check vehicle pollution would also be introduced from the New Year," state Transport Minister G S Bali said.
The state-owned HRTC today conducted a trial-run of an electric bus on Shimla roads, which officials said, was very successful and the Corporation now plans to introduce 25 electric buses.
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Bali said that all Regional Transport Officers (RTOs) and vehicle registration authorities have been directed to stop registration of diesel vehicles from other states and these orders would come into force with immediate effect and only the Commissioner (Transport) would be empowered to give any relaxation in this regard.
Bali said the HRTC will take off from the roads all its buses with nine year life from January 1, 2016.
These will be replaced with 300 new buses of Euro-IV level.
The registration fee for more than ten-year-old diesel vehicles would be doubled from April 1, 2016 while the fee for 15-year-old diesel vehicles would be exemplary to compel the owners to opt for non-diesel vehicles, he added.
Bali said that the government will permit replacement of auto-rickshaws with e-rickshaws.
There are more than 11.43 lakh registered vehicles in the state out of which 2,11,670 are diesel vehicles.
The state government proposes to set up five CNG stations at Una, Dalhousie, Shimla, Manali and Dharamshala while government of India (GoI) funding has been sought to set-up electrocharging stations at 25 bus stands.
The CNG and electric buses will ply on the routes like Rohtang pass and Manali as suggested by the National Green Tribunal and also other route, he added.
