Integrated auto, taxi service to link 3 states

Regional Transport Office authorities at Ghaziabad are working on a plan to link the autorickshaw and taxi services in Delhi, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh ahead of the 2010 Commonwealth Games, reports Peeyush Khandelwal.

Regional Transport Office (RTO) authorities at Ghaziabad are working on a plan to link the autorickshaw and taxi services in Delhi, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh ahead of the 2010 Commonwealth Games.

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The Integrated Transport System is in its final stages of implementation.

“The system is about to be implemented and finalised within a few weeks. Autos and taxis would be allowed to ply freely cross borders. Permits will be issued,” said RTO Lalji Chaudhary.

A major hindrance to the project in Ghaziabad is the non-availability of CNG. The city does not have a single operational CNG filling station although land has been allotted to Indraprastha Gas Authority by the Ghaziabad Development Authority at two sites.

“It is now up to Indraprastha Gas Authority Limited to start operations,” said S.K. Dwivedi, vice-chairman of GDA. However, the officials are optimistic the CNG issue would be soon resolved and would not affect the proposed system.

Ghaziabad authorities also plan to give a congestion-free look to the city ahead of the Commonwealth Games and intend to rein in over 11,000 autos plying chaotically in the city limits, which include around 3,000 without registration papers. With the implementation of the plan, most of the areas in Trans-Hindon, Sis-Hindon and borders with Delhi would be decongested, district officials said.

As per new guidelines by the RTO, autorickshaws will now ply on 20 decided routes. It will also be mandatory for auto drivers to wear uniforms, get a unique identification numbers and the route numbers and also get their auto-fitness certificates.

“Every day over 100 autos will get themselves registered at RTO office at their own cost. The erring autos will be impounded by the traffic police,” said RTO, Lalji Chaudhary.