Passenger vehicles to cease service from March
Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, February 12 2013:
Demanding formulation of a Transport Policy which would give room for all the passenger vehicles in the State to carry out their services, All Manipur Bus Owners Federation (AMBOF) has decided to stop all passenger vehicles on the road from the month of March next, if the State Government fails to materialise the policy before the end of February.
Addressing media persons in this connection at its Keishampat office here today, Arambam Priyokumar, President of AMBOF, asserted that with the State Transport Department issuing permits to all kinds of passenger vehicles, the drivers and owners of passenger vehicles in the State have been placed in such a situation today where they are fighting against each other for survival.
He said that AMBOF has been demanding for a Transport Policy in the State since 2009 and has been launching various agitations in this regard.
But, apart from claiming to have formed different commissions to draft the policy, no solid steps have been ever taken up by the State government.
The process for formulation of the policy always ended as soon as the agitation of the AMBOF suspended.
With permits being given under no specific policy, all the passenger vehicles are running in towards Imphal and this is one of the main reasons for traffic congestion in Imphal city, he contended.
Priyokumar charged that Transport officials are making big business out of issuing permits to vehicle owners and drivers, and thus they are deliberately trying hard to not set up a Transport Policy of the State.
So, AMBOF has decided to stop plying of all passenger vehicles from March if the Government fails to finalise the Transport Policy before the end of February.
He also pointed out that the charges for hiring vehicles during the election to the 10th Manipur State Assembly in 2010 and the Panchayat election conducted in 2012, have not yet been cleared till today.