Kohima Bureau
Kohima, April 11 (EMN): As traffic congestion haunt citizens of the municipals with little or no corrective policies to mitigate the issue, there has been a swell in registration of vehicles. Nagas are known to have a craze for the latest cars. The easy availability of used cars has added to the scourge of traffic congestion.
The Transport department has informed stated in its annual report for 2017-18 that 30,952 vehicles were registered in the state during nine months of the current year from April 1 2017 to Jan. 31 2018. Likewise, 12,024 driving licenses were issued during the period February 2017 to Jan. 31 2018.
NST in bad shape
Further, the Nagaland State Transport (NST) continues to suffer, the report stated. The motor fleet of the department has been depleted drastically over the years due to failure to replace the aged 'condemned' buses.
Currently, the department has a fleet of 196 buses and a recovery vehicle. Only five new buses were purchased during 2016-17. 24 new buses are being procured during 2017-18. The department is hopeful that its performance in both 'physical and financial parameters' would be improved to a great extent with the induction of 29 new buses.
According to the report, the department currently operates 130 scheduled service covering 20,156 km daily. It includes an inter-state service connecting Imphal (Manipur) with Dimapur and Kohima. An inter-state service for Itanagar-Dimapur by the Arunachal Pradesh state government operates on alternate days, the report stated.
The department claimed that it has established a network of services connecting all the 11 district headquarters and providing access to interior areas of the state where road connectivity exists.
Interestingly, it was during previous December that a students’ union from Tobu had written to the general manager of NST complaining against what was stated to be inadequate and the subsequent discontinuation of NST service in their area since April 2017.
Over the years, citizens especially those from far-flung areas continue to suffer due to shortage and lack of NST buses, the only mode of transportation for the rural areas.
The report informed about the introduction of two new services during 2017-18 for Tizit-Nokyan and Zunheboto-Satoi, and that it will be introducing services for five new routes during 2018-19.
During 2017-18 too, the department is said to have issued 56 permits to persons with disability as part of the government's policy to give free travel permits (concession).
