New Delhi: Commuting between Delhi and its
three neighbouring states of Rajasthan, Haryana and Uttar
Pradesh will soon become hassle-free, thanks to an agreement
for ensuring free movement of passenger buses.
The agreement was signed today between Rajasthan, Haryana
and Delhi in the presence of Urban Development Secretary M
Ramachandran. Uttar Pradesh was not represented as the state
Transport Secretary could not attend due to unavoidable
circumstances but is due to ink the pact in a couple of days.
Called the `Reciprocal Common Transport Agreement`, the
pact means hassle-free travelling for lakhs of commuters who
travel to and from the four states and not having to get stuck
in between their journey due to disputes among states over
territory, tax and other issues.
"This agreement will allow passengers to travel from
Delhi to Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan as the buses
don`t have to stop at checkposts to pay tax and so on,"
Ramachandran told reporters after the signing ceremony.
"Buses will originate and terminate at designated bus
terminals and commuters will be able to board or deboard at
the agreed designated stops as against only at interstate bus
terminals and a few selected terminals presently," he said.
Ramachandaran said the agreement will be notified within
a month`s time and once it becomes operational, it will
ensure free movement of buses of transport corporations and
private players of one state to the other.
He said all the four states already have bilateral
agreements with each other on free movement of buses.
"The NCR states would review the situation depending upon
the traffic demand as and when the situation arises and take
necessary decisions mutually agreed to by the concerned states
to increase or decrease the number," he said.
The routes for the buses have already been finalised and
some of the originating and destination points in Delhi are
ISBTs, AIIMS, Karol Bagh, Okhla Industrial Area.
The new agreement will also provide legal status for the
inter-state movement of stage carrier commuter buses and pave
way for increasing the frequency of buses for commuters.
The `stage carriage` vehicles will conform to prevailing
Euro norms and will operate on CNG in NCR.
On Uttar Pradesh not sending any representative today,
Ramachandran said: "UP will sign the agreement in a day or
two. The secretary was not able to come as he took office just
today after he was transfered. There is no problem."
-PTI
