The National Transport Development Policy Committee (NTDPC) will meet the State Governments of northern India on May 27 to deliberate over key issues of transport sectors including roads, railways, civil aviation, urban transport among others.
The meeting to be held for the first time in Chandigarh would be attended by officials of NTDPC and State Governments of Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir and union territory of Chandigarh.
The State Government consultation-northern region meeting would take up the issues including data gaps in the transport sector, land acquisition, dearth in human resource development, inadequate research and transport developmental initiatives, environmental constrains, paucity of Government funds, environmental impediments among others.
The day-to-day troubles in key transport sector of roads and railways would be primary focus during the NTDPC meet with northern States and UT Administration.
Recently, the NTDPC had sent a communiqué to all the participating States Governments and UT Administration seeking information on problems and solutions in various transport sectors in their respective areas.
The State Governments and UT, in its replies to the NTDPC, have raised the issues including paucity of funds, non-uniformity in toll tax, high operating cost of SRTUs (State Road Transport Undertaking), unlimited private operation of buses among others.
While talking to The Pioneer, a senior official of the UT Administration said, “The issues pertaining to the road transport, railways, civil aviation in the northern region would be taken up during the meeting.”
The official said, “The meeting would be held in UT Guest House here. The NTDPC officials and senior officials of Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir and UT Administration would attend the meeting.”
“All the State Governments/UT would put forth their problems in transport sectors during the meeting. For Chandigarh, urban transport would be the key issue,” he added.
In a communiqué sent to the all State Governments/UT, NTDPC has recommended that awareness creation programmes with implementation of road and vehicle safety measures and enforcement policies should be coordinated by efficient interdepartmental cooperation.
Road user information and campaigns should be started for mass awareness and variable feedback activities should be encouraged.
Besides, enforcement by Police in road safety by ensuring zero tolerance to traffic rules violations through speed enforcement, patrolling, blood alcohol concentration legislations implementation, drinking–driving enforcement and measures, seat belt and helmet enforcement, automatic speed cameras for enforcement, fixed penalties, fines and imprisonment, warning letters, motor vehicle insurance should be taken to create fear of law violation in the general public.
The NTDPC was constituted in the year 2010 to develop a long term national transport policy (with a 2030 vision) that ensure growth and efficiency in the economy and also pay attention to competitive pricing and coordination between alternative modes of transport.