The Centre is working on a new initiative to improve climate-friendly public transport facilities in cities with a central allocation of Rs 25,000 crore, Urban Development Minister M Venkaiah Naidu said here today.
The Green Urban Transport Scheme (GUTS) seeks to encourage growth of urban transport along low carbon path and provide a sustainable framework for funding urban mobility projects with minimum recourse to budgetary support by encouraging innovative financing of projects, he said.
Besides GUTS, Naidu said the initiatives under his ministry's consideration include new Metro Rail Policy, revision of Metro Acts and standardisation and indigenisation of Metro systems, which are aimed at increased private sector participation.
"The central government is working on new policy initiatives to encourage private investments in climate friendly and sustainable public transport systems like Metro rail, non-motorised transport and other low carbon emitting systems in urban areas," he said after inaugurating a four-day 'Urban Mobility India Conference and Expo'.
Under GUTS, provision of non-motorised transport infrastructure, increasing access to public transport, use of clean technologies, adoption of intelligent transport systems (ITS) and private sector participation in urban transport projects will be increased.
He said the scheme is being considered for implementation in cities each with a population of five lakhs and above and all capital cities.
Naidu said for GUTS, central assistance of about Rs 25,000 crore is estimated to be required which would in turn trigger private investments to meet the resource needs over the next five years.
In view of the growing demand for metro rail systems in urban areas, Naidu said a new Metro Policy would soon be unveiled to meet the demand through increased private sector participation.
This policy mandates preparation of comprehensive mobility plans of cities to ensure last mile connectivity with metro stations, Naidu said, adding that it also seeks to bring in more innovative models of implementation besides increased standardisation and indigenisation to induce competition.
He informed the central government has so far provided an assistance of over Rs 65,000 crore including sovereign debt to metro projects in different cities of the country.
As of now, 325 kms of metro rail is in operation in Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai, Bengaluru, Mumbai and Jaipur.
About 517kms of metro rail projects are under execution and another 449kms under planning stage, the minister said.
Stressing the need for holistic planning to improve the city's mobility, liveability and sustainability, Naidu said, "Urban transport planning shall be people-centric and aim at moving people instead of moving cars. All sections of people shall be ensured access to efficient public transport through inclusive planning."
Expressing concern over one road accident every minute and one accident death every four minutes in urban areas and half of the victims being pedestrians, cyclists and those using two-wheelers, Naidu called for an affordable, comfortable, reliable and safe public transport to reduce demand for private motorised vehicles.
He stressed the need for promotion of non-motorised transport infrastructure for encouraging walking and cycling.
The minister stated that under new urban sector initiatives of Smart Cities Mission and Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT), non-motorised transport is being encouraged on a largescale.
Gujarat Chief Minister Vijaybhai Rupani and Deputy Chief Minister Nitinbhai Patel were among those who attended the inaugural session.
