The Centre has urged the Supreme Court to direct Delhi and its bordering areas like Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Rajasthan to fully implement the reciprocal common transport agreement that had been signed five years back.

According to the Motor Vehicle Act, a permit granted by Transport Authority of one state is not valid in another state unless the other state counter signs such a permit.

"Government of Delhi and UP should take actions to introduce more buses and more routes between East Delhi and Ghaziabad. The same applies for the states of Rajasthan and Haryana. With a view to provide better public transport facilities, the reciprocal common transport agreement had been signed between government of Delhi, UP, Haryana and Rajasthan," said the Centre's affidavit as it seeks to ease commuters’ problems.

The apex court had earlier sought the stand of the Delhi government and the three neighbouring states on a PIL which asked for integrated transport between Delhi and national capital region.

UP too, in its affidavit agreed that the UPSRTC is expected to operate with more services to and from local towns bordering Delhi.

"Although NCR has been developed as a single entity, the people, mostly those belonging to the lower income group, who reside in the NCR, find it difficult to carry on with their livelihood due to the lack of public transport," advocate T V George, who represented petitioner Mohan Singh told the court.

The existing buses between the states are mostly for far-flung cities like Allahabad, Kanpur, Bikaner, Jaipur or Jodhpur. These buses cannot cater to the demand for local public transport.

Therefore there has to be public buses running from Delhi to various parts of Ghaziabad as the district has already developed into an integral part of the NCR.

"If a provision can be added to Section 88 of the Motor Vehicle Act 1988, allowing a public transport permit issued in any part of the NCR to be valid for the whole of NCR, then such a step can achieve the stated objective of unrestricted movement of buses, taxis and autorikshaws within NCR," says George.

"There is a peculiar situation prevailing in Delhi and NCR. Delhi is rapidly growing into a mega city and increasing number of its residents are shifting to houses in the NCR region", said the PIL.

For these people, affordable and easily availability of public transport is a necessity for their livelihood and is a part of their right to life under Article 21 of Constitution of India," said the plea. The PIL said that as far as Ghaziabad district is concerned, there are large residential colonies which have come up over the years but there is no public transport available for the people to travel from these colonies to their work places in Delhi.