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The Uttar Pradesh transport department has sent a proposal to the state government to develop, manage and regulate private bus and auto-tempo stands in the state with a view to creating passenger amenities and decongesting cities.

This will be the first time that the private bus stand policy will be implemented in the state.

The department has already held deliberations with various stakeholders and sent it to the government for further action.

State Transport Commissioner Chandra Bhushan Singh said: “Uttar Pradesh is going to have its first-ever comprehensive private bus stand policy to address pressing issues of inadequate facilities for passengers using private bus and auto stands and traffic congestion that the state’s bustling cities grapple with.

“The proposed policy that aims to establish a robust framework for development, regulation and management of private bus and auto-tempo stands across the state will be sent to the Cabinet very soon for its nod."

Currently, there are 1.11 lakh buses, including 30,000 school buses and 10,000 UPSRTC buses.

There are 20,000 contract carriage and tourist buses and 50,000 stage carriage buses that operate on different private routes in the state after obtaining a permit from the Regional Transport Authority (RTA) headed by divisional commissioner in each division.

The 70,000 stage and contract carriage buses, it is pointed out, have no proper bus stands to operate from. The proposed policy seeks operations of private state carriage buses from the UPSRTC bus stands only.

“Since stage carriage buses ply on non-nationalised route, they have no competition with the UPSRTC buses that operate on nationalised routes and hence the UPSRTC will have no problem if stage carriage buses ply from their bus stations,” the Transport Commissioner said.

For contract/tourist buses and small vehicles including autos and temps, bus stand parks are proposed to be set up in all cities as per the local requirement.

Tourist buses, it is pointed out, are often parked in streets and on roads as they have no dedicated place for the purpose.

“Under the policy, both tourist buses and small vehicles will be parked at and operate from the bus stand parks proposed to be set up in all cities,” Singh said.

The proposed policy also mandates private colonisers as well as development authorities and local urban bodies to necessarily make a provision for auto-tempo stands in colonies developed by them.