DC Srinagar chairs Regional Transport Authority (RTA) meet

Srinagar : The meeting of the Regional Transport Authority (RTA) was held under the Chairmanship of the Deputy Commissioner (DC) Srinagar, Mohammad Aijaz (Chairman Regional Transport Authority) at the Conference Hall of DC Office Complex, here on Monday to discuss the matters related to the public transport.
Besides, Sr. Superintendent of Police, Muzaffar Ahmad Shah, Superintendent of of Police, Arif Shah and Regional Transport Officer, Kashmir, Syed Shahnawaz Bukhari, the meeting was attended by Chief Planning Officer, Secretary SDA, Joint Commissioner, SMC, DGM, SRTC, Executive Engineers of R&B and other concerned.
At the outset, a detailed discussion took place on finalization of different agenda points including to give approval for Contract Carriage Fresh Permits, consideration of applications for fresh LA for regular Stage Carriage Vehicles , permission for 14 identified Routes for Operation of Mini-Buses in Srinagar City and Letter of Authority for purchase of Stage carriage minibuses and three wheeler autos, etc. The measures with regard to identification of blackspots and action plans to address the same also came under discussion during the meeting.
On the occasion, the Deputy Commissioner, who is also Chairman of RTA Srinagar after having a threadbare discussion accorded approval of 189 Contract Carriage Permits out of 266 applicants. Similarly, the meeting also approved 11 cases submitted by applicants through a Transport Company for issuing Letter of Authority for Stage Carriage permits to their vehicles.
The Chairman RTA also accorded approval for plying Special Mini-Buses on 14 new identified routes, after successful trial runs on these routes, in addition to routine services in the Srinagar City. In this regard, the DC said the approval has been accorded in view of the public demand, in the interest of smooth public transport system and in the interest of availability of transport services for all important Educational and Health institutions in the city. The DC also asked the RTO, Kashmir to bring the DC Office, Srinagar in one of the routes to facilitate the visiting public and the employees.
Likewise, to consider specific cases related to issue Letter of Authority for purchase of three wheeler autos, the RTA accorded approval for 55 Three Wheeler Auto Rickshaws solubject to the condition that the applicants shall purchase the vehicle within a period of one month.
On the occasion, the DC asked the RTO, Kashmir to get a survey done to assess the route wise vehicle carrying capacity of the roads to enable it to frame a policy in future accordingly.
The DC also asked the SDA authorities to finalize the identification of new parking spaces to facilitate the public and to decongest the roads.
The R&B engineers were instructed to speed up the measures taken up to fill path holes and repair the blackspots in city roads to avoid accidents.
Meanwhile, the meeting also discussed measures being taken to overcome traffic jams to ensure smooth regulation of traffic movement in the City and provide reliable transport services to the people.
During the meeting, it was given out that a sufficient number of Smart Buses have been procured to put in place a robust Public Transport System within a few months across the City.