Transport Minister Bhupendra Singh has said that the process to issue permits will be brought under the purview of the Public Services Delivery Guarantee Act. Accordingly, it will be mandatory for the district transport officers to dispose of temporary permit for buses within 15 days and permanent permit within 30 days. As per guidelines issued by the Government, permit for distance of more than 75 km will be given to 50-seater buses.
Singh said that this is a part of the measures being taken to make public transport in the State smooth and safe. The State Government will make no compromise with safety of passengers. The Minister informed that arrangements for plying of buses have been made on various routes in accordance with number of passengers.
He informed that since bus operators have cited some practical difficulties, they have been given additional time of one month (till June 30, 2015) to have 2 gates in buses. Bus operators have been clearly instructed to have two gates and emergency window in their buses positively by June 30.
The Minister informed that there will be no grill behind rear window pane. It has been made mandatory for district transport officers to undertake minimum 4 field inspections every week. Singh informed that departmental staff undertook surprise inspections in the state and he himself during field inspections in 6 districts took action against buses not meeting norms from May 5 to 31. During the period, fitness of 1,084 buses was cancelled and challans were issued against 82 buses for not having permit and 241 for overloading. Grills were removed from behind rear window panes of 5,714 buses.