Leh: The Ladakh Union Territory administration on Monday unveiled a set of new rules governing the issuance of contract carriage permits, aiming to resolve a chronic dispute between Leh and Kargil district.
The decision to have a revised transport permit system was fast paced in wake of an agitation by All Kargil Transport Association, even as the State Transport Authority was already working out a mechanism.
Under Lieutenant Governor R.K. Mathur’s guidance and oversight, the consultative process was being closely monitored by Advisor Umang Narula to work out an early and amicable solution to the satisfaction of stakeholders in both districts.
Following a meeting of the State Transport Authority this evening, Saugat Biswas, the Divisional Commissioner and Chairman of the STA, told a news conference that a long pending dispute with a history running over decades has been aimed to be resolved after comprehensive consultation process with stakeholders in Leh and Kargil.
According to new rules, all vehicles registered in Leh and Kargil districts shall have the permission to ply freely on all inner routes of their respective districts and also on the full length of National Highway 1D. Such vehicles shall also have the permission to access the tourist destinations falling closest to the National Highway.
However, for a commercial vehicle registered in one district and intending to ply on inner routes of the other district, a special permission will have to be taken. “This can be determined on case-to-case basis and strictly as per requirement”, said Biswas.
Biswas said, the contract carriage permit is mainly for the tourists, for ease and comfort of the mobility of tourists. Commercial vehicles are given out permit for commutation between specific point for the convenience of travelers.
Section of 74 of the Motor Vehicles Act governs the issuance of permit, said Bisawas as he added that the authorities determine the permissibility of routes which may be a single road or clubbing of several roads.
With reference to recent trade of barbs between transport stakeholders in Leh and Kargil, Biswas said, “dispute was going on causing disruption in transport and other connecting services and our efforts were also on to arrive at an early resolution”. He said that Regional Transport Officers and he had himself engaged in consultation with the unions, but they found the representatives generally unagreeable to each other. Biswas emphasized on the need of consensus and unity among the transport Unions of Leh and Kargil in the common interest of prosperity of Ladakh.
Divisional Commissioner Ladakh and Chairman of Union Territory Transport Authority, Saugat Biswas further said that the RTOs have been advised to revise and facilitate renewed permit system. He said the UT administration is frankly open to any modification and improvements in future. He said, the new permit system shall be renewed every six months.
Responding to a question, Biswas said despite best marathon consultative process the both Unions -in Kargil and Leh -were not found on the common ground. The UT administration, he said, has devised best possible and just solution which the stakeholders should support in common interest of Ladakh.
