Karnataka - Bangalore   

For better travel in a growing city

BANGALORE: Union Internationale des Transports Publics (UITP – International Association of Public Transport) will establish a Centre for Sustainable Transport and Urban Planning to facilitate integration of public transport with urban development. While UITP will set apart Rs. 30 crore for this purpose, it will urge an equal contribution from Government of India.

This was announced by Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) Managing Director and UITP India adviser Upendra Tripathy here on Tuesday. He was speaking at the inauguration of the three-day 9th UITP Asia – Pacific Assembly, hosted by BMTC. While BMTC, as a member of UITP will provide Rs. 15 crore, other Indian UITP members will share the remaining Rs. 15 crore, he said.

The prime reason for setting up the Centre has been the absolute lack of coordination between city planners and traffic planners.

As such, the public transport needs of a particular city are not taken into consideration during the city’s growth, with the glaring example being Bangalore.

The centre, Mr. Tripathy said, will undertake research and consultancy and offer academic programmes.

It will enable policy makers to understand public transport requirements of a particular city in its growth. Still in the evolution stage, the Centre either will come up as a Chair at the Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore, or as an autonomous society, he said.

Inaugurating the assembly, Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman K. Rahaman Khan said with 54 per cent of the total population projected to be in urban areas by 2050, there is an absolute need for coordination between various agencies administering a city. Planning for the future is all the more important, he said.

On the occasion, BMTC signed a charter of sustainable development with UITP. BMTC’s gesture in promoting environment, economy and social causes made it eligible to sign the charter, Mr. Tripathy said.

Adviser to Governor P.K.H. Tharakan, UITP President and Managing Director of Metropolitana di Roma Roberto Cavalieri, UITP Asia – Pacific Division Chairman and the Chief Executive Officer of Seoul Metropolitan Rapid Transit Corporation Eum Sung Jick and Principal Secretary to Transport Department D. Thangaraj were present.

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