Private buses plying in Uttarakhand under guise of Uttar Pradesh Roadways

At first glance, some private buses plying in the state exactly look like Uttar Pradesh Roadways buses.

What differentiate them from the state-run buses from the neighbouring state is their identification line ‘UP Pariwar’ instead of ‘UP Parivahan’.

It came to light after Kashipur’s assistant road transport officer Anita Chand seized four such buses in the past three days.

Chand said: “These buses look like UP roadways buses, but their drivers couldn’t produce required documents when checked.”

“Such buses are not only violating the motor vehicle act but also causing loss to exchequer of Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand. We are writing to higher authorities of Uttarakhand roadways about such buses,” Chand said.

UP roadways buses ply between UP and Uttarakhand and Uttarakhand roadways buses ply to different parts of UP.

Most of UP roadways buses are recognised by their red colour and a yellow stripe between the red colour. They are identified with the line ‘UP Parivahan’ that is inscribed on forehead of the buses.

Interestingly, some private bus owners of Meerut and Garh Mukteshwar of UP are plying their buses under the guise of UP roadways for quite some time between Ramnagar of Nainital and New Delhi and Gurugram.

Such buses are painted in red and have a yellow stripe exactly like UP roadways buses. They differentiate only with their identification line ‘UP Pariwar’ instead of ‘UP Parivahan’.

Anil Kumar Mehrotra, assistant regional manager of Rampur depo of UP roadways, said, “He doesn’t have any information at present about such buses plying in the area, but such buses are private buses and have nothing to do with UP roadways. Such buses ply from Meerut and Garh Mukteshwar. The ARTO is empowered to take action under motor vehicle act.”

He said during the rule the BSP 7-8 years ago in UP, bus owners used to ply their buses bearing ‘UP Pariwar’ lines and painted with blue colours when the colour of UP roadways buses was blue.