In view of lack of parking facility and increasing vehicle load the Regional Transport Authority (RTA) in its meetingon Tuesday refused to issue any new permit on intercity routes. The meeting held at lDA auditorium was chaired by Kumaon Commissioner Chandrashekhar Bhatt on Tuesday. He informed that applications for intercity permits on lalkuan – Haldwani- Ranibagh, lalkuan- Pantnagar- Rudrapur, lalkuan- Nagla- Kichha, lalkuan- Pantnagar- Dineshpur, lalkuan- Patharchatta- Haldwani, Dineshpur- Gadarpur- Rudrapur- lalpur- SIDCUl routes were received by the RTA. He further informed that a joint survey of Transport department and police was sought by the RTA on these routes.
The report revealed that on the SIDCUl intercity route 32 buses is operational and apart from them large number of contract carriage vehicles like Tata magic; tempo and taxi are operational on these routes. The report also revealed lack of parking and other facilities on these routes. The RTA chairman said in Haldwani city roadways and KMU bus stand and taxi stands are situated in centre of the city due to which the city is having a heavy traffic load. Bhatt said that 13 km long stretch in Kichha (Udham Singh Nagar) is nationalised due to which private vehicles cannot be allowed to operate there.
He said that after the construction of ISBT at Haldu (Gaulapar) the issuance of new permits can be considered.