CHANDIGARH: At the time when Haryana is facing a debt liability of around Rs 82,000 crore, chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar will travel by train and Volvo bus occasionally to reduce the expenditure. In a first such initiative, Khattar reached Chandigarh from Delhi by Shatabdi Express train on Friday evening.

"It's an exercise to decrease the expenses apart from advocating simplicity. Idea is just for best utilization of available mediums of transportation, including train and bus. The Volvo bus can be used when the option of Shatabdi is not available," said Jawahar Yadav, officer on special duty to the CM. However, Yadav said that CM Khattar would travel by helicopter or plane also whenever required.

Sources close to Khattar said that it would be easier for the chief minister to read and clear files by travelling on train. Earlier, the then CM Bansi Lal used to travel by train occasionally during his tenure from 1996 to 1999, said an official. Like Bansi Lal, Khattar would also travel mostly by car accompanied by a cavalcade of vehicles.

Officials claimed that Khattar had been trying to reduce the expenditure on his travels. Keeping in view his desire, around 40 persons out of total 300 staff members, including security personnel from the CM cavalcade have been removed, said a senior functionary of the government.

No new plane

CM Khattar has refused to buy a plane, which was proposed during the previous Bhupinder Singh Hooda-led Congress government. Confirming the development, principal secretary to CM Sanjeev Kaushal said on Friday that Khattar was not inclined to buy the plane as it would cost around Rs 45 crore to the state exchequer. The state government had a King Air B-200 plane and a chopper. The plane is off air since March 27 after a crash landing just after it took off from Chandigarh airport.

