Transport Dept opens process to apply for permits of clean fuel transport vehicles in Doon
Wednesday, 01 March 2023 | PNS | DEHRADUN
600 Vikram operators applied for permit since November
The Transport department in Dehradun has opened the process for the public to apply for the permit of clean-fuelled public transport vehicles from March 1. The interested candidates would also have to buy clean-fuelled vehicles like BS VI vehicles, CNG fuelled or electric hybrid vehicles by March 31 or else, the Transport department would cancel their applications. The department in November last year had declared the ban on the operation of auto rickshaws and Vikrams older than a decade in Dehradun after March 31, 2023 and on the remaining after December 31, 2023 as per the directions of National Green Tribunal (NGT). The RTA secretary and RTO (administration) Sunil Sharma said that NGT issued the order in view of the considerable increase in air pollution level in the Dehradun district. He said that the department had given preference to local operators by opening applications for clean fuel vehicles permits for them from November till January 31, 2023 which was later extended till February 28 on their request. He told The Pioneer, “The department will issue only 797 permits as per the requirement and so far, we have received only 600 applications (till Tuesday evening). Out of these 600 applicants, only 140 operators have bought the vehicles and started operation in the city. We have asked the remaining applicants to buy the vehicles by March 31 and inform the department or else, their applications will be cancelled. They can also convert their old Vikram to a CNG or electric vehicle too. The old permit of Vikrams will be considered automatically invalid from next month.” He said that the department will issue 197 permits from March 1 to new applicants who want to operate clean-fuelled public transport vehicles. However, they would also have to buy the new vehicle by March 31, added Sharma. He also informed that 797 Vikrams run on 18 routes in Dehradun half of which mostly operate from Clock Tower and its surroundings while many routes severely lack proper means of transport. Considering such issues, the department would issue stage carriage permits on these routes to the operators of clean-fuelled vehicles.
