WE NEED A GOOD COMPREHENSIVE MOBILITY PLAN: CHIEF SECY

LUCKNOW: Chief secretary Rajive Kumar on Saturday said that traffic congestion can’t be treated by more roads/flyovers alone, but there should be integration between transportation and land use.

Addressing the gathering at the workshop ‘Redesigning and Reimaging Streets for all’, he said: “Unless we make a good comprehensive mobility plan, including land use, we won’t be able to solve these issues.”

“When incomes rise, individuals seek private car and this is true in all countries. But in Singapore where a good percentage of population is wealthy, people run vehicles under strict regulations. People also tend to use public transport as the alternatives are very good,” said the chief secretary.

Focus is needed on complete integration of urban planning, municipal functions and housing and the role of divisional commissioners will be important in this, he added.

“The key requirement is a good mobility plan with alternatives keeping in view the cost. We need to see which option from among Metro, bus or tram is feasible for places we need to develop transport service,” he said.

“Urban planning and urban development wings that have been left on their own since long need focus and soon a list of 5-6 key immediately doable things need to be compiled into a standard template to make a make 3 to 5 year map to work upon,” he said.

FOCUS IS NEEDED ON COMPLETE INTEGRATION OF URBAN PLANNING, MUNICIPAL FUNCTIONS AND HOUSING. THE ROLE OF DIV COMMISSIONERS WILL BE IMPORTANT, SAID THE CS.