The bus commuters plying between Delhi and Uttar Pradesh can now look forward to an easy journey. The Delhi and Uttar Pradesh Governments signed an agreement on Monday, which would facilitate free movement of vehicles in each other's territory. "Better connectivity between NCR in UP and Delhi and free movement of commercial vehicles of the NCR States like Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh will now be possible. This is a historic agreement signed after 23 years," said Delhi Transport Minister Haroon Yusuf. The routes will now connect Delhi Airport via Nehru Place and Vasant Vihar, Delhi Airport via Badarpur and Mehrauli, Central Secretariat via Ashram and CGO Complex, New Delhi Railway Station via Pragati Maidan and Shivaji Stadium, ISBT (Kashmere Gate) via Shahdara and Shakarpur, ISBT (Kashmere Gate) via Anand Vihar and Bhajanpura, Noida to Safdarjung Terminus via Sarai Kale Khan, Ashram and AIIMS. Delhi will operate its inter-state stage carriages up to 1,45,000 km in UP daily while UP will operate up to 40,000 km in Delhi. Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) will operate up to 604 trips daily into Uttar Pradesh beyond NCR for which UP will countersign 369 permits of DTC. Similarly, UP State Road Transport Corporation (UPSRTC) will operate 2,678 trips daily into Delhi of its buses originating from beyond NCR. For this, Delhi will counter sign on 1,845 permits of UPSRTC. The return journeys also would count as a trip. Yusuf further said that UPSRTC buses to Delhi from areas in UP beyond NCR in UP will terminate at ISBTs. DTC would operate 1,498 trips into NCR falling in UP. For this, UP would countersign on 302 permits of DTC. Also, UPSRTC would operate 1,263 trips into Delhi from NCR in UP. For this, Delhi would countersign on 575 permits of UPSRTC. "Our Government is committed to further cooperation with Delhi. We will soon sign another agreement for smooth movement of goods carriages between the two States," said Ram Achal Rajbhar, UP Transport Minister. The draft agreement between the two States were signed by Transport Commissioner cum Secretary of Uttar Pradesh and Delhi, DD Varma and RK Verma respectively. Transport Minister of UP, Ram Achal Rajbhar, Delhi Transport Minister Haroon Yusuf, Bhure Lal, president EPCA (Environmental Pollution prevention and Control Authority) and Sunita Narayana, member EPCA in UP Sadan, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi. "The existing DTC and Delhi Private Stage Carriage Operation in Noida and Greater Noida would continue and would not count towards trips or kilometres. Also, the existing 53 (fifty three) permits of UP and 34 permits of Delhi would be part of the draft agreement," said Yusuf. The two States had earlier signed an agreement in 1985, which was later revoked by the Uttar Pradesh Government in 2000. Since then, inter-State movement of commercial vehicles was carried out on basis of informal dialogue. Due to difference between both the Governments over the issue, the movement of vehicle was stalled for seven months last years also. For any comments, queries or feedback, kindly mail us at pioneerletters@yahoo.co.in