Transport department announces free travel facility for PwD

DIMAPUR — The State Transport Department has, under Section 41 of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016, decided to provide free travel facilities in the Nagaland State Transport (NST) passenger buses for the persons with disabilities (PwD) within the state of Nagaland.

The Transport department informed that unique disability identity (UDID) card issued from the department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD), Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, Government of India, or valid disability certificate issued by a competent authorised medical board would be prerequisite eligibility for identification of persons with benchmark disabilities (PwBD) to avail free travel facilities in NST, stated a DIPR report.

It stated that free travel pass would be issued from the office of the general manager of NST, Dimapur, on payment of INR 50 only renewable after two years against payment of INR 20. In case of any damage/ lost, new free travel pass would be issued on payment of INR 50 only.

The applicants are asked to submit applications directly to the office of the general manager of NST, Dimapur, or through the district NST office.

It mentioned that companion of the PwBD, if any, should pay full fare against prior reservation on request to occupy a seat next to the PwBD. It, however, stated that for a PwBD with 80% or more disabilities or multiple disabilities who require assistance, free travel bus travel facility would be allowed to one associate/ assistant.

It also informed that free travel facility would be limited to four seats in a particular bus in open space behind the driver’s seat in the first and second row. It added that the seat would be reserved and marked accordingly.

For availing the facilities, the department has asked to place request in advance or at least one day ahead of departure of the bus. It stated that the free travel facility would be non-transferable and warned that any imposter so detected would be liable to prosecution.

Any pass that is misused would be cancelled, the department informed.

The notification was issued with the concurrence of the Finance department and supersession to the Transport department’s notification dated January 15, 1989.