Srinagar: Transport Minister Satish Sharma on Thursday directed officials to accelerate technology-driven reforms across the transport sector, with a focus on improving public services, road safety and sustainable mobility in Jammu and Kashmir.
Chairing separate review meetings on the functioning of the Jammu and Kashmir Road Transport Corporation (JKRTC), Transport Department, Motor Vehicles Department and State Motor Garages, the minister reviewed operational performance, financial position, infrastructure, digital initiatives and future expansion plans.
He said the government’s objective was to build an efficient, transparent and citizen-centric transport system capable of meeting the growing mobility needs of the Union Territory.
Reviewing the functioning of JKRTC, Sharma assessed fleet availability, route coverage, passenger services and financial performance. He directed officials to prepare a time-bound plan for fleet augmentation, expansion of services in underserved areas and better utilisation of buses and trucks. He also reviewed the implementation of the free bus travel scheme for women and called for maintaining its operational viability.
The minister directed officials to expedite the rollout of the Intelligent Transport Management System (ITMS), including GPS-based fleet tracking, electronic ticketing and real-time passenger information systems. He also reviewed plans for induction of electric buses, creation of EV charging infrastructure and asset monetisation initiatives.
During the review of the Transport and Motor Vehicles departments, Sharma emphasised strict enforcement of traffic regulations and scientific road safety measures, saying reducing road accidents should remain the department’s top priority.
He reviewed enforcement against habitual traffic offenders, progress on Registered Vehicle Scrapping Facilities (RVSFs), Automated Testing Stations (ATSs), the Institute of Driver Training and Research, the Inspection and Certification Centre at Samba, implementation of the e-DAR platform, PM-Rahat for road accident victims and measures to identify and rectify accident-prone blackspots.
The minister also directed officials to expedite ongoing infrastructure projects and reviewed proposals for bike taxi and rent-a-bike policies, saying such initiatives should create employment while ensuring passenger safety and regulatory compliance.
Calling for greater use of artificial intelligence and data analytics, Sharma said intelligent transport systems could strengthen enforcement, identify accident hotspots and support evidence-based policy decisions.
Reviewing the State Motor Garages Department, the minister examined fleet management, vehicle maintenance, workshop infrastructure, procurement, auction of condemned vehicles and manpower. He directed officials to prepare a roadmap for induction of fuel-efficient and environment-friendly vehicles, modernise workshops and expedite recruitment to address shortages of drivers, mechanics and technical staff.
The meeting also reviewed proposals for revising the government car policy, with the minister directing officials to process pending policy matters within a defined timeframe.
Earlier, participants observed a two-minute silence in memory of Assistant Regional Transport Officer (ARTO) Jugal Kishore Sharma.
The meeting was attended by Secretary, Transport, Avny Lavasa; Transport Commissioner Visesh Paul Mahajan; JKRTC Managing Director A.R. War; Director, State Motor Garages, Tahir Malik; Regional Transport Officers and other senior officials.
