The State Government is planning to offer free travel in the buses of State transport corporation to the candidates appearing in competitive examination. The Transport Minister Yashpal Arya directed the transport officials to prepare a proposal for this benefit while undertaking a meeting at Vidhan Sabha on Friday. He also directed the officers to release pending amount of Rs 26.6 corers to transport corporation as a compensation for offering free transport facility offered by the corporation.
In the meeting the Minister took a review of the State transport department. Concerned over the revenue collection, he directed the officers to work for increasing department's revenue. Arya said that the land available in Transport Nagar can be commercially used. He suggested that this piece of land can be used for paid parking of vehicles confiscated by the department for various offences. Expressing concern on the condition of various depots of Transport Corporation, he ordered reconstruction of all 21 bus depots in a phased manner. In the first stage, bus depots of Dehradun, Haldwani, Udham Singh Nagar. Almora and Haridwar would be taken up; on these depots the traffic load is more.
The Minister ordered release of funds for these depots from the maintenance head. Taking cognizance of road accidents Arya directed the officers to take necessary steps for preventing accidents on the roads. He said that driving licenses should be issued only after ascertaining that all the rules are strictly adhered too. The installation of simulator machines was also suggested by the minister. The Minister asked the officials to expedite the process of recruitment of 186 posts of Drivers in Transport Corporation and said that vacant posts of conductors too should be filled without any further delay. He asked the Principal Secretary Transport to remove obstacles in the way of setting up a motor driving wing in Haldwani. Emphasising the need of following the good smartian guideline, Arya said that an awareness drive should be launched for this guideline. The Minister directed the officials to increase posts of Technical officers, deploy more enforcement squads and operate more road safety publicity vehicles. He also asked to set up a separate fund for collection of green cess imposed on the vehicles.
He said that all drivers of the corporation should be provided training on safe driving by The Institute of Driving and Training Research (IDTR).
The meeting was attended by Principal Secretary Uma Kant Panwar, Managing Director (MD) Uttarakhand Transport Corporation BK Sant, General Manager Operation Deepak Jain and Additional Transport Commissioner Sunita Singh.