More autos, buses to run between Delhi-NCR cities

Govts of Delhi, Haryana, up and Rajasthan have signed a new transport pact, cutting curbs on operation of public vehicles

Delhi and its adjoining cities such as Noida, Ghaziabad, Gurugram and Faridabad will soon have more auto-rickshaws and buses for inter-city travel as the governments of Delhi, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan have signed a new Reciprocal Common Transport Agreement (RCTA) after a gap of 12 years.

The RCTA has been agreed upon and signed by state transport authorities of four states so as to ensure seamless inter-city transportation. (Picture for representation only/HT)

The agreement, seen by HT, also mandated that in three years districts bordering Delhi will have to ensure only CNG/electric/or similar fuelled buses, autos, cabs enter the national capital.

The RCTA is a kind of a memorandum of understanding agreed upon and signed by state transport authorities of these four states so as to ensure seamless inter-city transportation at a time when both population and vehicular traffic are increasing exponentially. The new RCTA will be valid for 10 years and the document is mandated by the National Capital Region Planning Board (NCRPB). Last RCTAs were notified on October 14, 2008 and April 22, 2010.

“The key highlights of the new RCTA is that people will get better access to autos and buses between Delhi and its neighbouring cities because of two reasons. Firstly, the cap on NCR autos plying between Delhi-UP, Delhi-Haryana has been increased by 2,000 each. Secondly, Haryana has agreed to give tax exemption on motor vehicle tax to auto rickshaws, taxis and now even buses operating within the Delhi-NCR,” Delhi transport minister Kailash Gahlot said.

At present, auto rickshaws and taxis registered in Haryana and having contract carriage permits under the RCTA are not required to pay tax while entering and operating in NCR states -- Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Delhi. But, Haryana was the only exception and it began the process of removing this taxation last year in February.

Other NCR districts (those not bordering Delhi) will have to ensure their fleet of inter-state buses, cabs and autos are CNG fuelled or electric or anything similar in seven years. All such vehicles will be given a colour code as well.

The agreement also talks about the age of stage carriage and contract carriage vehicles.

It says that the age of buses, autos, cabs will be limited to 10 years for diesel vehicles and 15 years for petrol/CNG vehicles, subject to orders from the Supreme Court or NGT or the ministry of road transport and highways (MoRTH).

“NCR participating states shall expedite steps to formulate and harmonise rules for cab aggregators for NCR in the spirit of motor vehicles aggregators guidelines, 2020 issued by MoRTH, as mandated from time to time,” the document said.