State transport ministers to meet on upcoming reforms

The Transport Development Council (TDC), the apex body that advises the Centre on matters relating to roads and road transport, will meet in Vadodara on September 19.
The basic objective is to provide exposure of new and upcoming reforms in the sector to states' transport ministers.
"The 38th meeting of Transport Development Council (TDC) and state transport ministers is scheduled to be held in Vadodara in Gujarat on September 19, 2017," the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways said in a statement today.
The broader agenda of the day-long meet will include issues like public transport reforms, status of Vahan and Sarathi sites under the Transport National Register, seamless transport across state borders, identification of Black Spots, digitisation of payments and inter-state transfer of private vehicles, it quoted Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari as saying.

"The council meeting will give an opportunity to the state transport ministers to get an exposure on the new and upcoming reforms in the transport sector. There will be a discussion on the subject of public transport reforms and way forward to bus ports," the statement said.
Director Transport for London (TFL) is scheduled to chip in via video conferencing, along with other experts in the sector.

The ministers will also be taken on a guided tour of the Vadodara bus terminal and the Vadodara automated driving testing track to help them get a first-hand account of such modern facilities so that these can be replicated back in their respective states.

TDC is headed by the Union road transport and highways minister.
According to the statement, the issue of all India tourist bus permits is likely to figure in the discussion.
On road safety, the ministry has asked all states to draw up action plans to reduce such fatalities. In addition, the Supreme Court-appointed Road Safety Committee had directed states to prepare target-oriented action plans. In the upcoming meeting, all states are slated to furnish the action taken report in this regard.
"The Transport Council will also discuss seamless transport across state borders under the GST regime. A task force has been constituted by the GST Council to suggest measures for creating an ecosystem for seamless road transport connectivity across the country," the statement read.