Damini Sharma
The North News
Solan, June 27
More than 40 passengers, including several tourists and young children, were left stranded for hours on Friday after a Himachal Roadways bus developed repeated engine trouble while en route from Shimla to Chandigarh. The bus (registration A5997) first broke down near Kandaghat, where the engine stalled unexpectedly. Though the issue seemed to be resolved temporarily, the vehicle came to a halt again near Salogra, leaving passengers—including at least seven to ten children—helpless on the roadside for several hours.
The driver informed the stranded travellers that the vehicle had developed a serious mechanical fault and could not proceed further. “We had no option but to wait. There was no immediate help, and people, especially children, suffered a lot,” said one of the passengers.
Eventually, another Himachal Roadways bus arrived to ferry the passengers to Chandigarh. Incidentally, another bus carrying me and several other passengers also developed a technical issue and was undergoing repairs in Solan at the time of the last report.
This is not the first such incident, and frequent mechanical failures of government buses have raised concerns among residents and tourists alike. The passengers have voiced frustration over the poor condition of the state’s public transport fleet.
Passengers said that the state government must address the deteriorating condition of its buses and improve the reliability of public transport, particularly as Himachal Pradesh is a major tourist destination.
