UP ready with first-ever private bus station policy

The policy also mandates private developers, development authorities and urban local bodies to include auto-tempo stands in the colonies they build

LUCKNOW Uttar Pradesh is ready with its first-ever policy to develop proper stations and parks for private buses, with all-India permits for these vehicles, with a view to enhance passenger amenities and reduce urban congestion. The policy also mandates private developers, development authorities and urban local bodies to include auto-tempo stands in the colonies they build.

The proposed policy seeks to establish a robust framework for the development, regulation, and management of private buses, including contract carriage and tourist buses (Pic for representation)

The government has asked a dozen departments to give their opinion, if any, on the proposed policy before the proposal is sent to the Cabinet for approval. The departments include finance, home, law, revenue, urban development, housing, PWD, rural development and forest.

“The Cabinet note seeking approval for the proposed Uttar Pradesh Stage Carriage Bus Adda and Contract Carriage, All-India Tourist Bus Park Establishment and Regulatory Policy is ready However, we have invited opinions from a dozen departments before the note is presented to the Cabinet,” a senior transport official in the government revealed.

“We are trying to rope in private developers to set up private bus addas on a minimum area of two acres land as well as bus parks in cities and towns. The government will not invest any money on such projects but will offer some incentives line exemption from stamp duty,” he said.

The proposed policy seeks to establish a robust framework for the development, regulation, and management of private buses, including contract carriage and tourist buses.

As per the draft policy, UP has 8,06,778 private buses, including 14,352 stage carriage, 10,636 contract carriage and 10,825 tourist buses.

The policy points out that while stage carriage private buses have no proper bus stations to much of the inconvenience of passengers, the contact carriage/all-India permit buses and tourist buses do not have parking facilities, because of which they remain parked on roads causing jams in cities.

District-level committees, led by district magistrates, will be tasked with identifying the need for private bus stands and parks. These committees will also enforce the policy’s provision that no private bus stand can be established within a 1-km radius of a UPSRTC bus station to ensure government buses do not suffer any revenue loss.