The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Experts discuss transportation provisions of draft master plan

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Aug 27, 2007
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Experts discuss transportation provisions of draft master plan

Staff Reporter

They speak about lack of pavements and cycle lanes

CHENNAI: The alumni of Anna University’s College of Engineering who met here on Saturday had several recommendations and observations to make on the chapter on transportation in the draft second master plan of Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA).

Experts and engineers analysed the draft plan for nearly four hours and presented their findings. The speakers included former chief engineer from the Highways Department, transportation engineering experts and retired and teaching professors from Anna University and the Indian Institute of Technology-Madras.

A recurrent theme in the deliberations was the need to focus on accident-free movement of pedestrians, mass transport system and freight transport. The experts spoke about the lack of pavements and cycle lanes. Though Wilbur Smith Associates had, over a period of time, mooted several projects most of them were shelved for decades.

Former CMDA chief engineer N. Dharmalingam said while the draft plan stated that every day 425 new vehicles were being added to the city roads, the figure at present was over 550.

Also, the first master plan had selected some roads for development to decongest neighbouring roads. Buildings on these roads had since then been developed accordingly but the draft plan continued to present these roads for development, he said.

For instance, Usman Road and Venkatnarayana Road in T.Nagar and Purasawalkam High Road had been identified in the first plan for higher FSI but today these roads were equally congested. The CMDA should consider other areas outside the city for commercial activity.

Another recurrent theme was lack of parking lots and road signage and misuse of road space. An expert pointed out that 30 years ago a study was conducted on parking lot provision in busy areas and theatres. But the recommendations of the study have not yet been considered.

On the issue of public transport, it was important to optimise the available road space by giving priority for buses, experts said. They wanted Metropolitan Transport Corporation to increase its fleet strength proportionate to the rise in population and suggested planning the roads for flyover and subway structures in future.

CMDA vice-chairman R. Santhanam said the Authority had mooted the idea of a common ticket for bus and train for weekends and public holidays to both Railways and MTC.

Acceding to the experts’ suggestions, he said though ample parking space had been provided in the MRTS stations, lack of coordination between the Railways and the MTC had resulted in poor utilisation of the space provided in the railway stations.

The CMDA had suggested that battery-operated mini buses be plied in narrow sections such as Tirumayilai and Tiruvallikeni stations to help transport passengers to the nearest bus stop but the MTC had demurred.

He said attention would be drawn to use of alternate fuel and pollution, as suggested by the experts.

“We have received over 750 suggestions. We are planning to have committees with experts drawn from outside the Government also,” Mr. Santhanam said in his concluding remarks at the meeting organised by the Alumni Association of College of Engineering, Guindy. College Dean M. Sekar was present during the deliberations.

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