PESHAWAR, Sept 12: The ordinance promulgated by the NWFP governor to streamline the functioning of district transport authorities (DTAs), has made the affairs more complicated.

The NWFP motor vehicles (amendment) ordinance, 2002, promulgated on  Feb 28 by Governor Syed Iftikhar Hussain Shah has added to the problems of  the vehicle owners and district transport authorities.

Following the installation of local governments, the provincial government set up DTAs in 24 districts of the province on July 1, 2001, to facilitate the vehicle owners in obtaining route permits.

Through the ordinance, the regional transport authorities in the seven divisions were replaced by the 24 DTAs.

According to Section 3 (II-a) of the amended ordinance, permits for vehicles plying within a district shall be issued by the DTA concerned. Under sub-class (b), permits for vehicles plying within two adjoining districts shall be issued by the DTA of any of the districts subject to a no objection certificate (NOC) issued by the other DTA. Permits for vehicles plying in more than two districts will be issued  by the Provincial Transport Authority (PTA).

Officials at the local DTA argue that the sub-class (a) of the amended ordinance is not applicable because there would hardly be any vehicle needing route permit for a district. Similarly, non of the two districts would be willing to issue NOCs and each would want to issue the route permits and receive the fees, they said.

As most of the vehicles ply in more than two districts, they are required  to contact the PTA for obtaining and renewal of their route permits.

The officials said that the setting up of the DTAs would serve no purpose as most of the vehicles would be issued route permits by the PTA. The setting up of DTAs would only burden the exchequer, they claimed.

The officials say that the complicated system has enabled the transporters to ply their vehicles on city roads without obtaining permits.

According to an official, 5,320  buses, 644 wagons,   11,077 trucks and oil tankers, 2,642 Datsun and Suzuki pick-ups, 8,243 rickshaws and 280 yellow cabs 280 have got route permits in the city. The number of those plying without route permits would be equal to those having the permits, he said.

According to sources, the DTA has nine staff members and no vehicle and the telephone remained disconnected for non-payment.

An official said the revenue generated by the office was Rs28.1 million in 2000-01 and Rs26.8 million in 2001-02.

There is no provincial transport secretary and the department is run by a section officer, who has additional charge of the environment department. The officials said the transport department should streamline the affairs like the other province.