Nitin Gadkari presses for reforms in transport sector

NEW DELHI: Calling for reforms in public transport, Union minister Nitin Gadkari today asked transport ministers of states to submit suggestions on tax and permit issues, a government official has said.

Chairing a meeting of the Transport Development Council (TDC), the apex body that advises the Centre on matters relating to the sector, in Vadodara, the road transport and highways minister underscored the point that there is need for reforms in the sector.

"People are willing to accept change," said Gadkari, urging the state ministers to work in this direction and give suggestions on taxes and permits.

Advocating removal of checkposts, he asked the states to adopt digital payment solutions.

According to the official, the minister also urged the states to build modern bus ports on the lines of the one built in Vadodara. Calling for better standards of buses besides double-decker ones, Gadkari stressed that there is need to ply such buses on an inter-state basis.

The states ministers were taken on a guided tour of the Vadodara bus terminal and the Vadodara automated driving testing track to help them get a first-hand account of such modern facilities so that these can be replicated back in their respective states.

The TDC is headed by the Union road transport and highways minister.

The council also discussed seamless transport across state borders under the GST regime. A task force has been constituted by the GST Council to suggest measures for creating an ecosystem for seamless road transport connectivity across the country.