UP decides on tit-for-tat action against Delhi buses

Lucknow, Nov 16 (UNI) The Uttar Pradesh government today ordered stern action -- as per the Motor Vehicle Act -- against Delhi buses plying in the state after Delhi Chief Minister Shiela Dikshit did not meet UP Transport minister Naresh Aggarwal to resolve the row of impounding of UP buses in the National Capital.

''With Delhi Transport ministeer Haroon Yusuf refusing to accept the agreement signed between the Delhi and the UP governments on plying of CNG buses from Noida and Ghaziabad to Delhi, I have ordered my top officials take all possible stern steps under the law against Delhi buses plying in UP,'' Mr Aggarwal told reporters here tonight after returning from New Delhi.

Though the UP minister did not say it in as many words, this could mean seizure and impounding of all Delhi buses entering the state from tomorrow morning onwards.

He claimed that despite a talk over telephone, Ms Dikshit did not meet him today and conveyed that the talks be held at the official level. ''We will not be bullied by Delhi's action...If they claim there is no agreement, then all Delhi buses plying in the state or passing through the state are entering UP illegally,'' he said.

Describing the Delhi Transport minister as ''immature,'' Mr Aggarwal said Delhi should understand that by not allowing UP buses to ply in Delhi, the latter would not be able to harass the former.

Buses from Delhi pass through UP to enter Uttranchal.

''The passengers should be ready to face hardships for which Delhi government is responsible. We will drop our passengers at the border point from where they can get Delhi buses to reach their destinations,'' he said.

''Our door are open. If the Prime MInister or the Union Surface Transport minister call us to resolve the deadlock we would certainly go. But there would be no more talks with the Delhi government...there would be stern action against offenders as per the MV Act,'' he clarified.

Distributing copies of the agreement reached between UP and Delhi on plying of buses, he said it was decided that for operation in Noida and Greater Noida, there would be no restriction for operation of UP and Delhi buses. These buses can be state transport undertaking owned or private buses. The only restriction would be that the buses should only run on CNG mode of fuel.

''The agreement allows Delhi to run 90,000 km in UP. But they are plying over 1.25 lakh km and not paying taxes. Whereas we are allowed only 30,000 km. Even then Mr Yusuf refuses to accept the agreement,'' he quipped.

An earlier report from Delhi had said the row arising out of impounding of some buses of the Uttar Pradesh Transport department by the Delhi transport authorities on Tuesday is nearing resolution with a majority of the UP buses being released.

Sources in the Delhi Transport department said that seven of the 11 buses of the UP transport department impounded by the authorities in the capital a few days ago had already been released.

The impounding of the UP transport buses, which had precipitated the crisis, was part of a routine exercise by the authorities in Delhi as under a Supreme Court ruling buses of outside states cannot run as city buses in the capital of a state.

''As per the apex court guidelines, interstate buses from, say, UP or Haryana, can enter Delhi but are allowed to run only upto the Inter State Bus terminal and not as city buses.

''It is under this guideline that the 11 new buses being run by the UP transport department were impounded,'' they said.

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