Transport Development Council meeting at Shimla on Sep 22

Shimla, Sep 19 (UNI) Union Minister for Shipping, Road Transport and Highways, T R Balu, will inaugurate the 31st Transport Development Council and Ninth Road Safety Council meeting at Shimla on September 22, Himachal Pradesh Transport Minister G S Bali today said.

Addressing mediapersons here, he said the meeting, which was taking place outside Delhi for the first time, would discuss ways and means to reduce road accidents and levying uniform road taxes in the states among other things.

Mr Bali said the meeting would go a long way in highlighting the problems being faced by the people of this hill state, where surface road transport was the only mode of transportation.

Over 80 participants, including National Highway Chairman, have already confirmed their participation in the meeting, the venue for which was selected among Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Andhra Pradesh, he said.

He said Himachal had spent about 25 per cent of the amount collected from compounding of challans on putting up new road signs and re-painting the existing ones, besides educating people about road safety measures.

Besides, the meeting would also provide an opportunity to the state government to impress upon the Centre for the establishment of state of the art driving training schools in the state, he said.

He said the state government had sent a proposal to the Centre for the opening of four driving training schools in the state.

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