Jaipur: If everything goes according to plan, the Rajasthan State Road Transport Corporation (RSRTC) may start its first international operation by the end of this year.
Officials of the corporation have recently started discussions to introduce a route connecting the state capital Jaipur and Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal.
“The corporation would soon procure more than 70 air-conditioned buses, including a few deluxe category AC buses. Recently, in a meeting on deployment of these new buses on different routes, there has been a discussion on a Jaipur–Kathmandu service,” disclosed a senior RSRTC official.
Talking to TOI, transport secretary and the MD and chairman of RSRTC, Sreya Guha, said that a proposal has been floated to operate on this route. “It would take some time to materialise such a proposal of operating an international route. A lot of paper work needs to be done and we have to obtain a huge number of permits.”
Confirming the development, Jyoti Chauhan, the executive director (traffic) of RSRTC, stated the discussion has been started. The corporation would now carry out a feasibility report of the proposed route, would look into the formalities completed by the other state governments those operate international routes and then would start applying for necessary permissions.
“We need to undergo an extended process to initiate this service. We are going to take up this issue once the ongoing polls get over. A Jaipur-Kathmandu bus service is definitely on our radar,” Chauhan told TOI.
Officials said, there had also been discussions on the probable routes this service might take. The officials are mulling on two routes as probable options and would finalize any one of these two.
First, there are plans to operate Jaipur Kathmandu bus service via New Delhi. RSRTC has its own Jaipur New Delhi services and from New Delhi it can follow the route of the Delhi-Kathmandu buses operated by the Delhi Transport Corporation and a few private operators. Second, there are plans to extend the Jaipur -Sonauli bus service till Kathmandu. Presently, RSRTC operate a daily service on this route. Sonauli is a district town located in the Maharajganj district in Uttar Pradesh, right at the Indo-Nepal border. “The route via Sonauli would is the feasible for us. But, the Nepal government is presently converting the road between Sonauli and Kathmandu into a four-lane one. We are keeping a watch on the development of this work,” a RSRTC official signed off.
With more than one-and-a-half decade's experience in print and di...
Read MoreWith more than one-and-a-half decade's experience in print and digital media, Arpit Basu has reported on aviation, transport, crime, civic and human interests issues. His sting operation on how precious Aviation Turbine Fuel, meant for Kolkata airport, was pilfered and sold in local market as ‘white kerosene’ received widespread acclaim. Arpit had received letter of appreciation for reporting during the Phalin cyclone in Odisha in 2013. Has also recieved training from Google and Facebook on factchecking.
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