In order to promote green mobility, as many as 1000 CNG (compressed natural gas) auto rickshaws each from Chandigarh, Punjab and Haryana will ply in the tricity area under a reciprocal agreement.
The decision was taken at the meeting of Transport Secretaries of Chandigarh Administration, State Governments of Punjab and Haryana held under Manoj Parida, Advisor to UT Administrator on Tuesday.
During the meeting, the UT Administration pushed for plying of green vehicles in the tricity area including Chandigarh, Panchkula (Haryana) and Mohali (Punjab).
Initially, a proposal to mutually allow additional 500 CNG autos for entry in Chandigarh from Punjab was agreed in principal. The issue was raised as the Administration demanded ban on diesel autos in the tricity area.
The three stakeholders decided that the data of all these CNG autos will be shared by the three authorities amongst themselves for Police Checking.
The Administration also requested Haryana Government to open more CNG pumps in Panchkula to reduce the crowd of autos at CNG pumps of Chandigarh.
At present, Haryana-registered auto rickshaws are not allowed to enter Chandigarh for ferrying passengers. And, around 500 auto rickshaws registered with Registration and Licensing Authority (RLA) in Mohali, are allowed to enter Chandigarh.
UT Advisor Manoj Parida said green vehicles will be encouraged in the tricity area. The movement of 1000 CNG autos each from three stakeholders will be allowed on reciprocal basis in the tricity of Chandigarh, Panchkula and Mohali, he said.
Apart from this, the issue of exemption of payment on state road tax on tricity busses was discussed wherein both the states have agreed in principal regarding exemption of tax.
Notably, this was a long pending issue for the UT Administration. The Administration was not charging road tax on other States Transport Vehicles but it was forceD to pay tax to Haryana Government.
At the meeting, Haryana Government has agreed in principle to allow exemption of payment on state road tax to buses of Chandigarh Transport Undertaking.
Punjab Government also agreed to the proposal of UT Administration regarding permitting the school buses from Chandigarh to the entire district of Mohali, instead of only Mohali city limits.
The meeting was attended by UT Adviser Manoj Parida, UT Transport Secretary AK Singla, Punjab Principal Secretary Transport Umashanker, Haryana Additional Secretary Transport, Virender Singh, SSP Traffic Shashank Anand.
Committee of Director Transport constituted
During the meeting, a committee of Director of Transport Department of Chandigarh, Punjab and Haryana has been constituted to look into the issue of entry free of Ola and Uber cabs in Chandigarh.
Apart from this, the committee will also examine the proposal of uniform speed limits on the artery roads connecting to Chandigarh.
Notably Uber and Ola drivers had on Monday called off their strike after 11 days following assurance from the Chandigarh Administration that their demand regarding rationalisation of permit and entry fees across the tricity will be looked into.
The cab drivers had gone on strike on January 30 after State Transport Authority started challaning vehicles, not registered in Chandigarh, that didn’t have entry fee receipts.
The Administration had recently allowed the drivers to clear the dues for remaining seven quarters by March 31.
The drivers had on Monday also agreed to pay outstanding entry fee of two quarters - Rs 2,000 per taxi to the STA by February 15.
The other demands of cab drivers include tax should be same for tricity of Chandigarh, Mohali and Panchkula, base fare for ride (0-5 km) should be reserved as Rs 100 and for further ride Rs 15 per km, it should be given to driver, waiting charges (during jam and others) should be Rs 5 per minute, daily allowance should be Rs 2000 per day for outstation and should be given to drivers, no parking fee at public places for cabs, parking space should be arranged for cabs at public places, pick up should not be given more than 2 km, driver insurance should be done by companies, increment policy among others.
