The Kashmir Pulse

SRINAGAR — Observing a decrease in passenger traffic on routes from Srinagar to Delhi and Srinagar to Jammu, the Jammu and Kashmir Road Transport Corporation (JKRTC) has decided to reduce the current passenger fares by 20 per cent.

As per an official order, JKRTC will now provide a 20% discount on existing fares for passengers travelling on Srinagar-Delhi and Srinagar-Jammu routes.

"In light of reduced passenger traffic from Srinagar towards Delhi & Jammu sectors during the off-peak season and to stimulate more activity on National Highway-44, approval is hereby granted to offer promotional discounts @ 20% on the current fares of JKRTC to passengers/commuters," reads the order.

Officials said that providing promotional discounts is an effort to encourage passenger traffic during the off-peak season and enhance activity on National Highway-44.

According to the order, passengers travelling from Srinagar to Delhi via Volvo buses will now pay a reduced fare of Rs 2,157, down from the previous Rs 2,697. Similarly, travellers heading to Jammu on deluxe buses will enjoy a reduced fare of Rs 440, reduced from Rs 550, while the fare for SML bus type has been lowered to Rs 663 from Rs 829.

As per official data available, over the last three months, a total of 646 trips have been recorded from Srinagar to Jammu, comprising 443 trips in AC-type vehicles and 203 in non-AC-type vehicles. Similarly, for the Srinagar to Delhi route, the last three months have seen 51 trips via Volvo buses.

A senior official said the move is part of JKRTC's strategy to address the decline in passenger traffic towards Delhi and Jammu sectors during the off-peak season, while simultaneously boosting activity along National Highway-44.

The discounted fares will remain valid until March 15, 2024, the JKRTC order added.

This post first appeared on The Kashmir Pulse

SRINAGAR — In an open violation of government advertisement policy 2012 and COTPA-2003, Jammu and Kashmir Road Transport Corporation (JKRTC) buses in Kashmir can be seen pasted with advertisement of pan masala while the Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) has shot a letter to the corporation, seeking immediate action against the agency and removal of the advertisements on buses.

The people stated that the advertisement of ‘Vimal Elaichi’ can be seen pasted on the JKRTC buses here, saying that it is a surrogate advertisement for tobacco and demanding it to be pulled down immediately.

They said that as advertisements of tobacco and alcohol products are banned in India, manufacturers are resorting to creative modes of advertising like surrogate products that are clear-cut violations of different acts.

An official said that the advertisements in the guise of selling ‘elaichi’ are aimed at marketing Vimal’s chewing tobacco products.

"Direct and indirect advertisements of cigarette and tobacco products are prohibited under Section 5 of the Cigarette and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA)," the official explained.

He said that JKRTC buses are used and seen by thousands of people on a daily basis and youth especially school-going children are 24x7 getting exposed to these surrogate advertisements.

The official said that tobacco is the base of drug addiction and “it is our responsibility to save our people from tobacco initiation as once addicted, it is difficult to bring them out of the vicious cycle.”

Meanwhile, Srinagar Municipal Corporation has taken cognizance of the issue and has written to JKRTC authorities to take action against the advertising agency and issued orders to lift the advertisements from buses.

"In connection to the subject captioned above, in this regard, it has been observed that an advertisement of pan masala (Vimal) on the Buses of JKRTC operational across the Srinagar city and other districts of Kashmir Division for promotional purposes of Vimal Pan Masala and Chaini Chaini which is brand promotions of Tabacco Product and is an indirect advertisement under section 05 of Cigratte and Other Tobacco Products Act (COPTA-2003) and simultaneously is in violation of section 85, 115 and 116 of Municipal Corporation Act-2000, & violation of government advertisement policy 2011 which prohibits any kind of advertisement, brand promotion and sponsorship of tobacco products," reads the official communiqué of SMC to JKRTC.

It adds, "The said advertisement glamorizes and promotes the use of tobacco products among young generations which is badly affecting the public health initiatives of government.”

“Therefore, you are requested to please take appropriate necessary action against the advertising agency and issue orders for removing/lifting of advertisement on JKRTC buses immediately in order to curb the advertisement of banned product which conflicts with the section 05 of Cigarette and Other Tobacco Products Act (COPTA-2003) and in violation of Municipal Corporation Act 2000,” it reads further.

Meanwhile, an official of JKRTC in Srinagar, when contacted, said that in the first instance, they didn't allow the concerned agency to paste such advertisements, however, later they were directed by General Manager to allow them to paste it as there is no violation in it following which the advertisement was pasted.

This post first appeared on The Kashmir Pulse

SRINAGAR — A Jammu & Kashmir Road Transport Corporation bus has been gutted in a fire mishap in Khag area of central Kashmir’s Budgam district, officials said.

According to the reports of news agency KDC, SRTC bus bearing registration number JK0IY-0848, parked at Shunglipora Khag, suddenly caught fire and the bus (made of fiber) was gutted completely in this mishap on Monday at around 7:00 AM.

A police officer confirmed the incident and said the cause of the fire is yet to be known; however, a case under relevant sections of law is being registered in this regard and further investigation is on to get to the bottom of the cause of the fire.

This post first appeared on The Kashmir Pulse

SRINAGAR — A Jammu & Kashmir Road Transport Corporation bus has been gutted in a fire mishap in Khag area of central Kashmir’s Budgam district, officials said.

According to the reports of news agency KDC, SRTC bus bearing registration number JK0IY-0848, parked at Shunglipora Khag, suddenly caught fire and the bus (made of fiber) was gutted completely in this mishap on Monday at around 7:00 AM.

A police officer confirmed the incident and said the cause of the fire is yet to be known; however, a case under relevant sections of law is being registered in this regard and further investigation is on to get to the bottom of the cause of the fire.

This post first appeared on The Kashmir Pulse