Shimla, March 29 A video purportedly showing a man driving a passenger bus with an umbrella in one hand due to a leaking roof, as the vehicle navigates a difficult, hilly road in poor visibility due to rain, has caught the attention of the internet.
A passenger who filmed and uploaded the video online said this happened on Sunday on the Chamba-Holi route in Himachal Pradesh.
The video shows the driver holding an umbrella, presumably to protect himself from water dripping from the roof of the bus. The Himachal Road Transport Corporation (HRTC) bus is seen making sharp turns on its way towards Holi.
The passenger in the video alleged that people in tribal and remote regions of the state are being forced to risk their lives by travelling in such dilapidated buses.
The HRTC management and the government must immediately take cognizance of this matter and provide a new, safe, and reliable bus service, he said. The driver's face is not visible in the video.
HRTC officials could not be contacted for their version.
The bus reportedly operates between Baijnath-Pathyar in Kangra and Holi, departing daily from Chamba for Holi around 6 am. On Sunday morning, the region experienced heavy rainfall.
Locals say that videos highlighting issues such as leaking roofs, broken windows, and the bus breaking down mid-route have surfaced multiple times in the past.
Many people shared the video on social media and said it showed the blatant disregard for passenger safety.