Addressing the media persons on the occasion, Dr. Ramchandran said that smooth and seamless movement of interstate traffic in the national capital region is the dire need and efforts have been made for last few years to make it unrestricted and commuters friendly. NCR Planning Board has been making efforts to convince the State Government for reciprocal agreement to achieve this objective. He expressed the hope the agreement signed by the States would provide a legal status for the interstate movement of Stage Carriage Buses and relief to the daily commuters in the region.

One of the policy proposals of the Regional Plan-2021 for the National Capital Region is unrestricted movement of buses, taxis, and auto-rickshaws within NCR. Implementation of this policy is important to facilitate general public to commute between Delhi and the rest of NCR especially those commuters who board/deboard at the airport, railway stations and inter-state bus stops in Delhi and have to either take taxi/auto rickshaw or buses to reach their place of residence/ work in NCR. The National Urban Transport Policy approved by Government of India also envisages seamless travel for the passengers.

Accordingly, the NCR Planning Board in its 29th meeting on 24.5.2006 deliberated on the issue of implementation of the policies and proposals of the Regional Plan-2021 and constituted an Empowered Committee to facilitate decisions relating to critical activities and resolve inter-state issues/matters. Subsequently a Committee of Transport Secretaries/Commissioners, with the Member Secretary, NCR Planning Board as Chairman, was given the task of preparing “Reciprocal Common Transport Agreement among Governments of Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh of NCR for unrestricted movement of vehicles in NCR”. Ministry of Urban Development had also been pursuing the matter vigorously.

The NCR Planning Board brought all the constituents States of NCR on discussion table and a draft “Reciprocal Common Transport Agreement among Governments of Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh of NCR for unrestricted movement of vehicles in NCR” for “Contract Carriage” and for “Stage Carriage” were prepared after deliberations & discussions in various meetings of the Committee of Transport Secretaries/Commissioners which could be signed by the constituent states of NCR under Motor Vehicle Act 1988.

The constituent states of NCR adopted the due process of inviting public objections/ suggestions under the provisions of the Motor Vehicle Act 1988 and finalized the “Reciprocal Common Transport Agreement” for “Contract Carriage” which was signed on 14.10.08 by the constituent states of NCR and is under implementation. All the NCR States issued various notifications to withdraw additional passenger/road tax. About 579 permits have been issued by GNCT-Delhi for NCR Taxies and about 500 permits have been counter-signed by Government of U.P. Other taxi operators will approach Government of U.P. for signatures soon. It is expected that more taxi owners would approach the designated RTOs for obtaining NCR Permits. Now NCR Taxis/NCR Radio Taxis are visible on roads. Contract Carriage buses are also obtaining such permits.

Now various issues related to “Reciprocal Common Transport Agreement” for “Stage Carriage” vehicles have been resolved and public objections/suggestions have been addressed by the concerned State Governments and the said agreement is to be signed on 22.04.10 by the representatives of Governments of Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh of NCR for unrestricted movement of Stage Carriage vehicles in NCR” under Motor Vehicle Act 1988.

After signing of the agreement, all the constituent states of NCR would notify the agreement in their respective Gazettes to implement the same under Section 88 (6) of the Motor Vehicle Act, 1988 to give effect to it.

Signing of this agreement will:

• Facilitate the movement of stage carriage buses registered in NCR which are basically “Commuter Buses” for daily commuters who either commute to Delhi/NCR for work thereby facilitating seamless travel for commuters in NCR.

• Buses shall originate and terminate at designated Bus Terminals and commuters will be able to board/de-board at the agreed designated stops as against only at Interstate bus terminals and a few selected terminals presently.

• The routes for the buses have also been finalized and some of the origination and destination points in Delhi are ISBTs, AIIMS, Karol Bagh, Okhla Industrial Area, Dhaula Kuan, R.K. Puram, Railway Stations, Airport, etc. The details of Routes, Kilometers, Number of Trips, Operational Kilometers and Number of Permits to be issued detailed out in the Annexures to the Agreement. These Annexures are also provide dropping & picking points. Buses on some of the routes are already operational and some more would be added based on the demand.

• The dropping points and the routes have been kept keeping in view the convenience of the commuters with specific reference to working places.

• This Agreement will provide legal status for the Inter-State Movement of Stage Carriage Commuter Buses.

• This will increase the frequency of buses for commuters.

• The “Stage Carriage” vehicles will conform to prevailing Euro norms and will operate on CNG in NCR. This will reduce the level of air pollution in NCR.

NCR States would review the situation depending upon the traffic demand as & when situation arises and take necessary decisions mutually agreed to the concerned states to increase or decrease the number as per provisions of the agreement.