In the wake of the Delhi gangrape case, a Parliamentary panel is likely to recommend setting up of an umbrella organisation for public transport system in NCR so that responsibility can be fixed on a single agency if safety of passengers is compromised due to violation of rules.

The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Transport met here today for the third time to discuss safety of passengers in public transport in Delhi as well as the National Capital Territory Region (NCR) after the gruesome gangrape of a 23-year-old girl in December last.

The panel discussed issues like multiplicity of authority in framing and implementing laws relating to transport.

"In Delhi, Rajasthan, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh (the NCR), several agencies are responsible for public transport in one way or the other. Delhi government frames laws on roads, but it is implemented by the traffic police which is under the Centre's control.

Besides the Road Transport Ministry, Urban Development Ministry provides funds under JNNURM to buy buses...There is clearly a multiplicity of authority," a member told PTI after the meeting.

He said since public transport was "nobody's baby, there is no vision for it."

Members said that to avoid duplicity of authority, which allows agencies to "pass the buck", the committee is likely to recommend setting up of Metropolitan Mass Transport Authority which will be responsible for framing and executing policies for public transport in NCR.

A few years ago, the Union Urban Development Ministry had proposed a similar "unified command", members pointed.

The issue of crowded Metro trains in Delhi also came up for discussions in today's meeting.

Members suggested that during peak hours, Metro should run separate additional trains for stations in between two terminals to "balance" the rush. The system is in place in London. Officials from the NCR Board were positive to the suggestion.

Another suggestion was to develop a bypass around Delhi as it would stop nearly 30 per cent of the traffic bound for other destinations from entering the national capital.

"The bus in which the girl was brutalised was challaned six times. But it continued to ply on roads. This shows a lack of coordination between two authorities...As per law, a contract (charted) bus will only carry passengers mentioned in the list. It would also not pick up people from different points. But the law is not implemented by traffic police in Delhi," a member said pressing the need for an umbrella organisation.

He said taking advantage of this duality, the enforcement authority (traffic police) and Delhi administration pass the blame. "Between the two, criminals get away."

The committee has already made up its mind to recommend brining the Delhi Traffic Police under the control of Delhi government.

It is likely to conclude its deliberations before the budget session of Parliament beginning February 21.