Our urban transport systems are lacking mainly due to inefficient management and improper enforcement of the traffic rules and regulations, says Tanmoy Mukherjee, Director, Statutory Planning Unit, Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority (KMDA), in an emailed response.
What are the fundamental changes required for systematic urban transport?
We need specific lane marking for individual mode of transport, segregation of mixed traffic, synchronisation of signalling system, provision for service roads with access to main corridor at signalised intersection including access control, and clear pathway/underpass/footbridge for pedestrian traffic.
Will mixed use of land be able to address the future urban transport issue?
Mixed use of land abutting the main corridor and a kilometre away from either side of the central line of the corridor is recommended to minimise the congestion of traffic during pick hours including staggering of working hours and holidays as well. It may also be recommended that the function of a central business district (CBD) needs to be decentralised to reduce traffic congestion and echo environmental prevention.
Where are we lacking? What policy initiatives do we need?
In comparison to the other developing nations our urban transport system are lacking mainly due to inefficient management, improper enforcement of the traffic rules and regulations as per motor vehicles act.
There must be imposed the below-mentioned policies to overcome the aforesaid problems of urban transport management: 1) Parking policy, 2) Hoarding [billboard] policy and 3) Comprehensive mobility policy for interstate or intrastate transport network.
What is the outlook?
In future, there is a crying need to improve the urban transport system through the following steps:
1. To reduce the subsidy towards transport. There must be check points at different important locations and imposition of huge penalty to the commuters who are travelling without tickets.
2. To provide incentive to the commuters through lottery system of the total number of tickets sold in a day.
3. All civil work related to roads should be performed at night to relieve the daily traffic during the day.
4. Monitoring, operation and maintenance of the transport infrastructure.
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