Srinagar:An RTI response has revealed that the Jammu and Kashmir Road Transport Corporation (JKRTC) is burdened with electricity tariff liabilities running into lakhs of rupees across its installations in the Kashmir province, with the total dues exceeding Rs 60 lakh.
The information, furnished under the Right to Information Act 2005 to RTI activist and environmentalist M. M. Shuja, details the pending power dues of different JKSRTC units. According to the official figures, the Tourist Service Division located at TRC Srinagar carries the heaviest liability of Rs 53.70 lakh as of March 31, 2025.
Other significant defaulters include the JKRTC E-Buses Charging Station at Lal Chowk with dues amounting to Rs 6.12 lakh and the PMD Workshop at Bemina, which owes Rs 4.32 lakh. The E-Bus Station at Bemina has outstanding dues of Rs 2.24 lakh, while the CWS Pampore owes Rs 67,246.
The report as per the news agency Kashmir News Trust further highlights that the Anantnag Depot has pending dues of Rs 30,898 dating back to June 2023. By contrast, several units including the JKSRTC Headquarters at MA Road, the Load Workshop at Parimpora, the Printing Press at MA Link Road, the Baramulla Depot, the Sub-Workshop at Anantnag, and the Manager Passenger Services unit at Batamallo have no outstanding liabilities, with their accounts cleared till various dates.
The disclosure has once again brought into focus the financial strain faced by the UT-run transport body. JKRTC, already grappling with mounting operational costs and shrinking revenues, has been repeatedly flagged for poor fiscal management. Locals expressed concern that such pending liabilities could impact the functioning of transport services, particularly at a time when electric mobility and e-bus operations are being promoted in the Valley.
Officials, however, maintained that steps are being taken to address the pending dues. “We are aware of the liabilities and efforts are on to clear the outstanding amounts in a phased manner,” a senior JKRTC officer said, requesting anonymity.
The dues of charging stations for e-buses raise questions about the sustainability of electric transport in Kashmir. “If even essential units like e-bus charging stations are defaulting on power bills, it reflects serious financial mismanagement,” said an insider. [KNT]
