Jammu, June 30: While electric buses have improved urban transport in Jammu and Srinagar, residents of Chenab Valley and Pir Panjal regions continue to face a shortage of Jammu and Kashmir Road Transport Corporation (RTC) services, forcing dependence on costly private transport.

Large parts of Doda, Kishtwar, Ramban, Rajouri and Poonch districts reportedly have limited or no regular RTC bus connectivity on key routes. Commuters said this has increased travel costs, as private operators dominate inter-district and long-distance routes.
Local representatives have also raised concern over the issue. Surankote MLA Choudhary Mohammad Akram said people have been demanding more government-run buses, especially those offering subsidised or free travel for women and persons with disabilities. He said only one RTC bus currently operates on the Surankote–Jammu route, which is insufficient for public demand.
The situation is reportedly worse in parts of Doda and Kishtwar, where RTC connectivity to Jammu remains extremely limited, leaving passengers dependent on private vehicles.
The shortage is expected to worsen during the upcoming Amarnath Yatra, beginning July 2, as around 100 RTC buses are likely to be diverted for pilgrim transport duties, further reducing availability on public routes.
J&K RTC General Manager (Operations) Habibullah Reshi acknowledged operational constraints, saying the corporation has ordered spare parts to restore non-functional buses and expects services to improve soon. He added that RTC initially deploys its own fleet for Yatra operations before supplementing with hired vehicles.
Reshi said the corporation has 40 electric buses under the PM e-drive scheme, operating in Jammu and Srinagar, but their limited range of around 80 km restricts them to urban routes.
He further said that under the second phase of the scheme, 200 additional electric buses are expected by October, which will replace ageing vehicles and enable better inter-district connectivity with a higher range of 250–300 km per charge.