Fund bid to improve road travel in state: HP min to Centre

Himachal Pradesh government today requested the Centre to start new schemes for funding its bid to improve road travel in the state through the creation of roadside amenities and 'transport nagars' and the introduction of intelligent transport systems.
The demand was made by Himachal Transport Minister GS Bali at the 35th meeting of the Transport Development Council here today.
He suggested that government transport departments should be reoriented from being purely regulatory authorities to enable them to become development-oriented entities which can strengthen road safety and provide travelling comforts for citizens.
Bali called upon the Centre to provide liberal funding for the strengthening of state transport undertakings by framing schemes for resource gap funding.

He said that the government-run Himachal Road Transport Corporation was meeting the bulk need for passenger services, particularly in the remote areas of the state, and added that state government was providing annual budgetary support of around Rs 200 crore for it.
HP, he said, will set up a comprehensive vehicle tracking system to enable geo-tracking of all commercial and private vehicles.

Bali also called for the setting up of a strong regulatory framework to ensure safe travel and said that 25 per cent of compounding fee collection had been earmarked for road safety.
HP will also strengthen road ambulance services by providing fully-equipped ambulances and hydraulic/forklift trucks at strategic locations, especially on the highways.

Bali also pleaded for exemption on excise duty on purchase of chassis for buses.