Efforts on to resolve UP-Delhi row over plying of buses

Lucknow, Nov 13 (UNI) A last-ditch effort is under way to avoid a clash between Uttar Pradesh and Delhi governments over plying of city buses by the UP State Road Transport Corporation (UPSRTC) in the National Capital Region (NCR).

With UP threatening to discontinue permission to the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) buses in the state following the latter's refusal to allow the city buses in the national capital, the situation has aggravated.

UP Transport Minister Naresh Agarwal is in Delhi to hold a meeting with DTC officials to resolve the deadlock. Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit has also been approached by UP over the issue.

UP Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav is also holding parleys with senior officials over the issue.

The DTC officials had refused permission to the UPSRTC city bus to enter the national capital as it would hamper their own business.

Mr Agarwal, who was in Noida early today to inaugurate the city bus services, said if the DTC did not allow UPSRTC buses in the national capital, UP would, in no way, allow even a single DTC bus to enter the state.

The UPSRTC has launched city bus service in the region with 40 buses in the first phase. Of them, 20 would be the CNG-driven and the rest would be diesel-operated air-conditioned buses.

While the CNG buses would ply in the NCR, the diesel AC buses would be operated on long-distance routes.

Official sources here said the DTC had reservations about UP's buses plying in Delhi and had refused to give permission to the UPSRTC to ply their city bus service.

This is the second time this year, when both Delhi and UP clashed over the entry of their buses. But the earlier impasse had been resolved following timely intervention by both the governments.

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