Page 45 - TT Magazine Feb-Mar 2019

PUBLIC TRANSPORT

should also be part of UMTA. the mobility start interacting with
“For UMTA to perform the role, it the central authority. For example,
must regulate them and see how the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation has
integration is happening. It was rightly two systems: BRTS and AMTS; there is
demonstrated that in many cities, STUs also common ITMS infrastructure that
are not performing well and there has been created and both transit
are several reasons. Now when we systems are cooperating with the
go to the STUs, they say, we are not same system. Now, eventually, what
getting money from the Corporations. is going to happen is Intermediate
Why is it that STUs should get Public Transports (IPTs) and other form
money and UMTA should enforce of transport system are going to be
that Corporations should spend at developed in the city -- whether private
least fifty percent of their budget on or public funded -- and going to co-exist
sustainable transportation, improving on that platform. When regulatory and
bus condition, getting more buses and management aspects of operations Today’s definition
the capacity building, improving bus and also the future planning aspect go
infrastructure etc? to a central authority, integration of of public transport
decisions and operations starts.”
“Unless there is an authority which is revolves more around
constantly puts pressure on our urban Barriers and Implementation who is the owner of
local bodies or our STUs to perform Deshpande’s point was that we start
well and ensures integration, this is from a small thing and then expect a the service, who is
not going to happen. That is why I see larger thing to happen. “ If we take the operator. Even
UMTA to play this big role. It should the example of Maharashtra, today we
be empowered to implement and take just have six to seven thousand buses the private buses are
decisions for ULBs and STUs.” on road and actually it needs three to carrying the public
Vivek Ogra added, “From the four times the number of buses in all only. So whatever
technology standpoint, UMTA probably the 27 Municipal Corporations. But
should be looking at managing only Pune, Nagpur and Nashik and comes under sharing
the central mobility management two to three other cities have some mechanism which
platform. Then automatically, from amount of formal buses. Now in all
the administrative and operations these big size cities, UMTA can play is offered to general
perspective, all the elements in a big role in getting the first thing public has to be
defined as public
transport.

Prasanna Patwardhan

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