Transport Deptt announces policy to streamline traffic routes

Acting on the commitment given by Chief Minister Mr. Omar Abdullah on the floor of Legislative Assembly, the Transport Department today issued orders for formulation of a sound policy to streamline route permits and reservation of certain routes exclusively for SRTC. The decision to formulate the new policy has been taken in view of inadequate transport facilities on certain routes and lack of proper monitoring and supervision to prevent road accidents caused by overloading on some routes. 
As per the order issued by the Transport Department here today, no temporary route permits on nationalized routes shall be issued without NoC from SRTC, except for religious, social, cultural and emergency services as specified in the MVA/MVR.
It has also been ordered that no fresh point-to-point permits on Grand-Trunk Lines/State Highways/Nationalized Segments will be issued and existing vehicles plying on point-to-point permits will operate on a specific time table framed by RTOs/ARTOs, in consultation with Transport Group Operators and point permit holders. For operation of route permits in the interior routes, a proper and definite time table shall be formulated by RTOs/ARTOs and made operational and for any violation of time table, such route permits will be cancelled under rules after the concerned Transport Group Operators are made accountable for the deficiency.
The Motor Vehicles Department (MVD) shall conduct a general survey of all routes in J&K for rationalization of routes, grant of stage carriage, contract carriage, point-to-point permits for hungry routes and, if need is felt for issuance of such permits on any routes, the matter be referred to Transport Department for further necessary action, where-after, based upon government approval and NoC from SRTC, the advertisement in the leading local newspapers shall follow, the order adds.
The SRTC shall supplement the bus services from Jammu Railway Station on Jammu-Katra route after such time JKTDC withdraws from the route in a phased manner, for which a proper time table shall be formulated by SRTC so that the point-to-point operation do not violate the existing routes/permits. The SRTC shall hire private transport on such routes, as and when required.
It has also been ordered that the 14 existing temporary bus services operated by different passenger service groups of Jammu and Kashmir on routes like Kishtwar-Srinagar, Katra-Srinagar, Udhampur-Srinagar, Bhadarwah-Srinagar, Handwara-Srinagar, Kupwara-Jammu, Batote-Srinagar, Nowshera-Srinagar, Rajouri-Srinagar, Kulgam-Jammu, Kangan-Jammu, Budgam-Jammu, Kathua-Srinagar and Jammu-Reasi, on temporary permits by rotation shall be regulated by time table to be formulated by RTOs/ARTOs and they shall not be allowed to violate the specified temporary routes/permits. Such permits shall be issued only as per requisition of the passenger service groups for a limited period to a particular number of vehicles on rotation and further issuance/extension to the next batch of vehicles shall be granted subject to production of toll tax receipt of the previous batch.
The MVD in coordination with District Administration/Traffic Police and SRTC authorities, shall ensure proper supervision and monitoring regarding deployment of vehicles as per time table, checking of overloading of vehicles/overcrowding of routes, punctuality, behaviour of bus crew, lean hour services and other enforcement activities, the order states.
For strengthening enforcement machinery, MD, SRTC shall depute 100 available qualified employees with clean record to MVD for their further deployment by Transport Commissioner to RTOs/ARTOs offices in the State, keeping in view their place of residence, experience and qualification. However, salary of these employees shall continue to be drawn and disbursed by SRTC on the basis of attendance certificate of MVD.