Altaf Hamid Rao,
MIRPUR (AJK): AJK minister for Transport Nasir Hussain Dar, Secretary AJK Transport Authority Muhammad Nadim Janjua, senior officials and transporters Saturday visited the proposed site of a state-of-the –art General Bus Stand at adjoining densely-populated Chitterparti town and reviewed the plan of plying the public transport on inter-district routes.
Earlier, the minister chaired a meeting, attended by the public transporters and discussed various issues related to the overloading, overcharging and other matters of identical nature in the public transport.
The meeting was attended by among others by Secretary Transport Authority AJK Nadeem Ahmed Janjua, Secretary RTA Raja Farooq Akram, Motor Vehicle Examiners including Adeel Nawaz Choudhry and Mr. Khokher and transporerrs including Ch. Abdul Rehman, Khawaja Tahir, Raja Jamil, Manzoor Abbas, Raja Saqib, Raja Sarwar and others.
Sharing their ideas, the transporters emphasized the need of immediate establishment of the new Bus terminal at Chitterparti under the spirit to minimize the increased traffic congestion. The transporters also pressed for plying a new bus and coach service between Mirpur and adjoining Bhimbher district aimed to discourage overloading and accident risks.
The meeting emphasized the need of eliminating the mushroom growth of unlawful bus stops and stands on various inter-city and inter district routes in AJK.
Addressing the meeting the Transport Minister Nasir Hussain Dar revealed that the State Transport Department has conceived a project regarding the computerization of the record of the Transport Department which, he observed, would be touchstone for the emergence of the welfare oriented program for transporters, he added.
“Besides, Rs. 40 million development funds have been earmarked for strengthening and equipping the AJK Transport Department with latest means to ensure its vibrant performance for ensuring safe and comfortable travelling facilities for the commuters across the liberated territory”, the minister said.
Dar assured the transporters that he will utilize best of his energies and skills for the welfare of the department, addressing the genuine problems of the transporter community besides for ensure safe and comfortable travelling for the masses especially those travelling through public transport across AJK.
The minister strongly directed the transporters to immediate stop the unlawful exercise of overloading and overcharging of fare in the public transport. He also advised the audience to timely ensure the fitness of their public service vehicles entire in line with the set law of the land. The minister directed the law enforcement agencies especially the officials of his department to focus for discouraging the overcharging of the fare.
Nasir Hussain Dar expressed his desire to eliminate the obsolete vehicles from the fleets of the public transport. He said that he was actively working for materializing the drive for elimination of the out-of-date PSVs, which have completed their due age.
The minister revealed that another project is also being launched for installation of weighing machines at various requisite sites in the state by observing all their legal protocols. “The step would help in to secure and protect the roads highways and bridges following operation of the public goods and transport vehicles in stipulated weight”, he underlined.
The meeting was informed that on the special directives of the AJK Transport Minister the officials of the State Transport Department have compiled a data regarding different tentacles of the public transport sector across AJK.
The meeting was also apprised of the over all progress of the State Transport Department generating revenue for the state and the uplift of the people, which was described as splendid by the house.