Transport dept notifies free travel in NST buses for PwDs

Nagaland State Transport department has announced that free travel passes would be issued to persons with disabilities (PwDs) from the Nagaland State Transport (NST) general manager’s office here on payment of Rs 50, renewable after two years against payment of Rs 20. In case of any damage/lost, new free travel pass would be issued on payment of Rs 50.

In a notification issued in this regard, the department stated that the applicants could submit their applications directly to the NSG general manager’s office, Dimapur, or through the district NST office.
Companion, if any, of Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PwBDs) would have to pay full fare against prior reservation on request to occupy a seat next to the PwBD.

However, 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. The department stated that free travel facility for PwDs was permissible for both to and from, including break journey, or from the originating to the terminating station would be considered as completion of one stretch of journey. 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. The seat would be reserved and marked accordingly.

For availing the facilities, the department stated that a request in advance or at least one day ahead of departure of the bus would be preferred, subject to availability of seat for that purpose.
The free travel facility would be non-transferable and any imposter so detected would be liable to prosecution.

The department cautioned that any pass that was misused would be cancelled. For identification of PwBDs to avail free travel facilities in NST, the department stated that Unique Disability Identify (UDID) card issued by the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD) under the Union Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, or valid Disability Certificate issued by a competent authorised medical board would be a prerequisite. The notification has been issued with the concurrence of the Finance Department and supersession to the Transport Department’s notification dated January 15, 1989.