Punjab and Himachal Pradesh on Friday inked the Reciprocal Transport Agreement for operating stage carriage buses.
The agreement was aimed at rapid economic development of the country as well as to restrict use of personalised vehicles which was the main cause of congestion on roads as well as to encourage long distance inter-state transport of passengers and goods between the two States. The agreement was signed after a meeting to finalise or revise the agreement between the two reciprocating States was held on Friday at Punjab Bhawan, Chandigarh.
Punjab was represented by its Transport Secretary Dipinder Singh, while Himachal was represented by HPAS additional commissioner transport-cum-secretary STA Sanjay Sharma.
Dipinder Singh said that as per previous Reciprocal Transport Agreement, dated October 4, 2001, which was in vogue till date between the two States, the STUs and private operators of both the states were allowed to cover 44,000 kms in each other territory. “However, as per the new Agreement signed on Wednesday, while the State Transport Undertakings (Punjab Roadways, PUNBUS and PRTC) and the private operators of Punjab shall be covering mileage of 58,432 kms in the State of Himachal Pradesh, the HRTC and the private operators of Himachal Pradesh shall be authorised to cover mileage to the tune of 63,826.5 kms in Punjab,” he said.