Thursday, September 22 2005 19:08 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Srinagar: With the aim of making cities the 'engines of India's economic growth', the Parliamentary Consultative Committee of the Urban Development Ministry today (Sept 22, 2005) began its 2-day meeting here to finalise the draft National Urban Transport Policy.

"The meeting of the Consultative Committee is historic in nature as it is for the first time that a comprehensive Urban Transport Policy document prepared by the ministry is being discussed and finalised," Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad said in his opening address.

Azad, who is the Committee Chairman, said the draft document would recommend suitable measures to facilitate movement of goods and people in a planned manner.

"It is only befitting that the meeting is being held in this beautiful city which is also suffering on account of rapidly increasing transport problems and congestion," he said.

The policy aimed at providing a transport system that would save lives, time and money. "It seeks to make the cities more livable and to enable them to realise their full potential as engines of India's economic growth," Azad said.

The draft document would be finalised based on advice and inputs at the Committee meeting and put up for Cabinet approval, he told the meeting.

Today's meeting is the fifth of the Committee, which last met in New Delhi on July 20.

"We will encourage introduction of all types of proven public transport technologies, be these rail based MRTS, light rail, mono-rail, high capacity bus systems on dedicated lanes, sky bus, electric trolley bus or any other mode of public transport techno-economically viable," Azad said.

The draft document discussed at the Chief Ministers' Conference on June 29 in New Delhi, he said.

Suggestions like amending the Motor Vehicles Act to cater to mass transit systems in million-plus cities and state capitals within a 30-year framework, integrated master plans for the cities, channeling of city growth around a pre-planned transport network had been incorporated in the draft, he said.

The Centre planned to integrate transport and land use planning keeping projected populations in mind given the sustainability of public transport. "It occupies less road space, is cheaper and causes less pollution per unit of travel," he said.

It aimed to promote investments in public transport and offer incentives to make its use more attractive than that of personal motor vehicles.

The minister underscored the need for measures 'at least on a pilot basis' to encourage segregated rights of way for bicycles and pedestrians and for tackling the problem of parking space encountered in most urban zones.

He said state governments may have to suitably amend building bye-laws at least in million-plus cities so that parking space was 'compulsorily built' and provided by developers, colonizers, self-occupiers or any agency putting up residential or office complexes.