Centre to allocate Rs.4,000 crore for Delhi Ring Road

July 10, 2014

SOWMIYA ASHOK

Crores of rupees also earmarked for improving water supply and make the Yamuna navigable

 

Delhi’s infrastructure is expected to get a fillip with the Centre planning to allocate almost Rs.4,000 crore for the development of Ring Road here. Funds running into crores of rupees have also been earmarked for improving the water supply and make the Yamuna navigable.Sources said the plans were revealed by the Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari at a workshop organised for Bharatiya Janata Party municipal councillors here on Tuesday. A senior South Corporation leader said the funds for development of Ring Road will be allotted if plans are approved to create a corridor that will decongest the city’s roads.

“Mr. Gadkari asked us to study the problems affecting the city, keeping in mind the next 10 years to 15 years. He asked us to keep our approach development-oriented and make representations to the Ministers concerned about issues,” said a participant, adding that it was specifically mentioned there were no dearth of funds to improve the infrastructure in the city.

Further, the councillors were asked to come up with a vision document to enhance the water supply situation. Plans to set up a “building architecture approving authority”, which will work independently of the Municipal Corporations to sanction building plans, were also discussed.

“This authority will be pulled up and its licence revoked in the event of an untoward incident. This was just one of the ideas discussed. Nothing has been finalised,” he added.

Mr. Gadkari also directed the councillors to improve the functioning of the three civic bodies.

“We were told to focus on providing the best services to the people, get rid of corruption and create a blueprint for making Delhi into a world class city,” said a councillor.

Regarding the Yamuna, the councillors discussed setting up two barrages that will make the river navigable, and come up with ways to treat sewage water, which can be diverted for irrigation purposes for the city’s parks and gardens.

 

Source-http://www.thehindu.com/

Traffic trial run continues on Raja Street in Coimbatore

July 8, 2014

STAFF REPORTER

The traffic trial run on Raja Street and Oppanakara Street, initiated by the traffic wing of the Coimbatore City Police from Wednesday, continued with a few modifications.

ModificationsThe Traffic police personnel said that the pattern would be made as a regular route if the existing modifications in the trial proved to be fruitful in the next few days.

Heavy vehicles“When the trial run began four days ago all the vehicles heading to the city from Perur – through Raja Street – were diverted to Oppanakara Street, through Karuppa Gounder (KG) Street and Vysial Street, without entering Raja Street. This burdened KG Street with thousands of two-wheeler, four-wheelers and heavy vehicles”, the police said.

Two-wheelersThey added that this also affected business on the KG Street.

“From Friday, we have allowed two-wheelers and four-wheelers from Perur till Porikara Lane on Raja Street from where they can reach the city through Thomas Street.

The stretch from Porikara Lane to Oppanakara Street continued to be one-way, police added.

The police said that this had enabled easy movement of more than 10,000 two and four-wheelers enter the city from Perur at ease without going all the way through KG Street and Vysial Street to reach Oppanakara Street.

However, buses and other heavy vehicles have to go through KG Street to reach Oppanakara Street, they said.

Source-http://www.thehindu.com/

Trams to ply in Delhi again

March 12, 2014

As a part of the redevelopment plan, trams will be introduced on a 2.5 km long stretch to connect Subash Marg with Fatehpuri Masjid

 Trams to ply in Delhi again
A file photo of tram playing in Kolkata street. Photo: Indranil Bhoumik/Mint

 

New Delhi: In a bid to revive the lost heritage of National Capital, Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung has approved a proposal which will pave the way for trams to ply on the streets of Delhi.

First introduced in Delhi on 6 March 1908, at the behest of Viceroy Lord Hardinge, the heritage joyride faded into oblivion in 1960 outdone by growing modern means of transport and the vehicular traffic.

As a part of the redevelopment plan, trams will be introduced on a 2.5-km-long stretch to connect Subash Marg with Fatehpuri Masjid.

“Apart from trams, the proposal involves introducing lanes for non-motorised vehicles and 50% of the area will be reserved for pedestrain pathways. Vehicular traffic will be restricted in the area”, said a senior Delhi government official, adding the proposal was approved last week.

“The tram service will connect the stretch linking Red Fort with Fatehpuri Masjid and will run alongside wide footpaths,” according to sources, techincal partners like Delhi Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (DMRC) would be roped in for implementation of the trams project.

The details and designs of the proposal will be submitted to the Unified traffic & Transportation Infrastructure (Planning & Engineering) Centre to be chaired by Lt Governor himself next week.

Tenders will be issued to invite investment proposals in this regard.

The meeting was attended by officials from the Public Works Department, civic bodies and representatives from traders and non-motorised vehicle users of the area.

Trams, which was one of the cheapest means of conveyance, ran from 1908 to 1960. It connected Jama Masjid, Chandni Chowk and Sadar Bazaar. However, trams were discontinued mainly because of space crunch and growing number of vehicles.

Source-http://www.livemint.com/

Raids by transport officials reveal half the buses flout norms

November 5, 2013

By Express News Service – TIRUPATI

 A file photo of Tirupati RTO MSSB Prasad checking a fire-extinguisher in a private Volvo bus in Tirupati | Express photo

  • A file photo of Tirupati RTO MSSB Prasad checking a fire-extinguisher in a private Volvo bus in Tirupati | Express photo
The raids conducted by the transport department officials against private operators revealed how the private buses are flouting the norms.

First among the violations is that most of the private bus operators, who took contract carriage permit, completely violate the norm. According to the contract carriage permit, the operator should transport a group of passengers from one stage to a fixed destination without allowing any passengers in and out of the bus in the middle of journey between the starting and ending points. But, a majority of the bus operators pick up the passengers for filling up vacant seats.

Similarly, about 50 per cent buses operated to various parts from Tirupati do not have the prescribed mechanical condition and other tools like fire extinguishers. The norm of the presence of two drivers in long journey buses, more or less remained on the RTA rule books as no private bus plying between Tirupati and Hyderabad having such a facility.

“Hardly it takes 10 hours for reaching Hyderabad from Tirupati and we don’t think there is a need for additional driver,” said a private bus operator on the condition of anonymity.

When asked a transport department official over the violation of the norms by private bus operators, he said that they are limited to converting crime into revenue. “Following the mishap in Mahbubnagar district, we swung into action and are levying fine on private bus operators for flouting norms, which is nothing but using such incidents as a source of revenue generation.”

Saying that unlike the forest and excise Acts, the Motor Vehicle Atc (MV Act) does not have authority to confiscate the vehicles flouting norms, he added that as per the MV Act they are only permitted to seize a vehicle for violation and will have to release the same after collecting some money in the form of fine. But, in case of the forest and excise Acts, the question of releasing the seized vehicles will not arise, he said and sought such ruling in the MV Act. As the Volvo bus will will cost at least Rs one crore, no owner will dare to violate the prescribed norm as they don’t want to loose their vehicle, he observed.

Though, it is not at all a financial burden to place fire extinguishers and hammers in side the bus,  which are required tools in case of emergency, the operators adopt negligent attitude due to lack of serious punishment, said another official.

Admitting that the transport department is not in a stage to take up drives at regular intervals, the officials attributed it to the staff crunch. As we have to deal with office work like issuing licenses, registrations and other tasks, we are only limited to take such drives only on some occasions, they said.

When contacted the Tirupati regional transport officer (RTO) MSSB Prasad, he said that about 50 per cent of buses do not have required conditions as well as flouting the norms. Particularly, on weekends, private bus operators are plying unconditioned buses. To cash the passengers rush on these days, they are bringing up the substandard buses on to the roads playing havoc with the passengers lives, he said.

Stating that they are taking up raids on the private buses time to time, he said that they are going to organise an awareness meeting soon to drivers of private buses.

On the lines of flights, where the air-hostess explains the passengers about the emergency exits and availability of balloons and parachutes, the bus drivers should also explain the passengers about the emergency windows, hammers and how to use them during emergency before starting journey, he said adding that the proposed awareness meet is aimed to deal with such issues.

Source-http://newindianexpress.com

 

 

Transport department flayed for not computerizing data

October 25, 2013

TNN |

PANAJI: The transport department has been hauled up for its failure to complete the work of creating a computerized state and national register as per the provision of Section 63 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988.

In its report up to March 2011-12, the comptroller and auditor general of India (CAG) has pointed out deficiencies in implementing Vahan and Sarathi, two softwares for various facilities, ranging from registration and taxation to issue of permits and driving licences.

Each state is expected to maintain a register of motor vehicles, containing all details, registration mark and year of manufacture. The state register (SR) was to be created in the database of Vahan software, as per data structure and standards provided by ministry of road transport and highways (MoRTH).

The applicant servers and the database servers were to be accessed by the concerned clients and data entries made by them were to be captured and replicated in the server.

The data from SR was to be converted and transferred to the national register (NR). But out of 9,26,537 vehicles, only 1,92,771 vehicles were taken to Vahan database. The rest of the 7,33,766 vehicles remained out of access through NR to other stakeholders. This was due to non-porting of data by the implementing agency, and defeated the purpose of computerization, the CAG noted.

The department website “goatransport.gov.in” has not been updated since June 2011. It was also not linked to Vahan/Sarathi to provide information to the public.

The department had adopted the two softwares, Vahan and Sarathi, developed by national informatics centre (NIC) for computerization of its activities, to switch over from two earlier web base systems called e-RTA and e-Transport.

E-RTA provided the facility of registration and taxation while e-transport provided facility of cash collection, challan generation, prosecution and issue of permits by state transport authority and regional transport authority.

CAG observed that Vahan was not programmed to allot registration numbers of vehicles in a sequential order. Computerization of check posts was not done and the department was still working with e-transport, which was not integrated with Vahan. The report has pointed out several other deficiencies and suggested remedial measures.

Build highways to China, South-East Asia

October 24, 2013

By ET Bureau |

 

The proposed highway, starting from Moreh in Manipur to Mae Sot in Thailand, will pass through Myanmar.

The proposed highway, starting from Moreh in Manipur to Mae Sot in Thailand, will pass through Myanmar.

 

Commerce minister Anand Sharma has said that work on a highway to link India with Myanmar and Thailand should start soon. This is welcome. But the government has to be more ambitious.The proposed highway, starting from Moreh in Manipur to Mae Sot in Thailand, will pass through Myanmar. It should also turn northwards and connect with Kunming, the biggest city of the province of Yunnan in China.

China is already working on ambitious highway-building projects linking coastal Myanmar to Yunnan and it makes great sense to link the highway from India with this. That way, trade would open up between eastern India all the way to landlocked southern China, Myanmar and Thailand. India should also negotiate with Bangladesh for this highway to pass through its territory.

That way, instead of terminating traffic and commerce in the northeast, the highway could run all the way to Kolkata. Once there, it would be easy to link the East-West Corridor with the India-Myanmar-China-Thailand highway.

Immense trade potential could open up if, say, Pune is connected to Kunming via one long, continuous highway. Along the way, goods can also be dropped off in markets in Bangladesh, the north-east, Myanmar and on to Thailand.

Southern Asia is among the world’s least-integrated regions. It was not always thus. Before Partition, south and south-east Asia was a closely networked hub of commerce and services. In the 1930s, the British built a road between Burma and southern China.

During WWII, American general Joe Stilwell built another one from Ledo in Assam to Kunming, to supply Chinese fighting the Japanese. The Stilwell road, too, should be revived, repaired and used extensively to boost trade and commerce between India, China and south-east Asia.

Source-http://economictimes.indiatimes.com

Now, ibuses too running over crowded

September 26, 2013

Agency: DNA

DNA Correspondent  

AICTSL likely to get four new ibuses by month end, says CEO.

Journey in ibuses is also  becoming uncomfortable for the passenges as most of them hardly find a seat nowadays and they often end up standing.

AICTSL has not procured more buses as per plans and thereby forced the passengers to travel in these crammed ibuses.

CEO of Atal Indore City transport Service Limited (AICTSL) Sandeep Soni told dna that the ridership of ibuses was 31164 on Monday and the revenue collected was Rs 2,89,000.
However, he regretted for the inconvenience faced by the passengers due to shortage of buses. “We have realised that the ibuses are running over crowded and trying to get more ibuses as soon as possible. We have 16 ibuses and likely to get four more by the month end,” said Soni.

“The passengers will get some space to breathe once we get more buses,” added Soni.
Meanwhile the installation of automatic signals on BRTS corridor has been completed and the signals are under trial.

Soni said, “A few signals are adjusted manually and few are working on automatic loop on trial basis. In automatic loop, the signal timing is adjusted automatically according to density of traffic.”

“Once the trial is completed all signals on BRTS will be shifted on automatic loop,” added Soni. Soni further said that the continuous monitoring of operation of ibuses is being done and modifications are being done accordingly. The speed breaker near Industry House left turn seems to be useless and it might be removed.

The left turn near LIG trisection might be widened to facilitate movement of traffic, added Soni.

 

http://www.dnaindia.com

 

Cabinet nod for 10,000 buses under JNNURM; focus on hill states Wednesday, Aug 14, 2013, 11:

August 14, 2013

 Wednesday,  

The project will cost around 6,300 crore rupees and the total estimated additional central assistance is about 4,450 crore rupees.

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has approved funding for procurement of ten thousand buses and ancillary infrastructure for urban transport under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) for all cities with special emphasis on hill states.

Decision to this effect was taken at a CCEA meeting chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in New Delhi on Tuesday evening.

The project will cost around 6,300 crore rupees and the total estimated additional central assistance is about 4,450 crore rupees.

The funding will improve urban services particularly urban transport in cities and towns.

 

Source_http://www.dnaindia.com

Road construction takes twice time in NE: Union Transport secretary

August 5, 2013

By PTI |

Road construction takes twice time in NE: Union Transport secretary

(Road construction takes twice time in NE: Union Transport secretary)
GUWAHATI: The implementation of road and infrastructure projects in North-East has been slow and the speed of completion has been almost half than the national average, the Union transport secretary said today.”North East takes twice the time to complete a project than the national average,” Road, Transport and Highways Secretary ,Vijay Chhibber told reporters here.

Road, Transport and Highways Minister Oscar Fernandes and senior officials from the ministry today held a review meeting of the road projects in North East with chief ministers and representatives of the states from the region.

“Land acquisition and forest clearance are the main issues in implementing the projects. We have the money, but we are getting stuck at implementation,” Chhibber said.

“Many state PWDs are not up to the mark in implementing the projects. Pre-construction activities are taking too much time in this region,” he added.

The Ministry is implementing an ambitious Special Accelerated Road Development Programme (SARDP-NE) to develop road network in this region, aiming to provide connectivity to all the district headquarters.

The two-phased programme, including Arunachal Package, covers about 10,141 km.

The phase A of SARDP-NE, including Arunachal Package, covers 6,418 km and is estimated to incur an investment of Rs 33,688 crore during the 12th Five-Year Plan. The phase B is in conceptual stage.

Out of that, 2,000 km is planned for the current fiscal at an investment of Rs 3,100 crore, Chhibber said.

So far, about 1,000 km have been completed and the entire project is targeted for completion by June, 2016.

The project is being executed by the state PWDs, Border Roads Organisation, National Highways Authority of India and the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways.

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com

 

Boost likely for public transport in Tier 2 cities

July 29, 2013

ANIL KUMAR SASTRY

 

Transport corporations seek sanction for projects worth Rs. 972 crore in the transition phase 2013-14

Public transport in Tier 2 cities and towns is set to get a boost with the State government hopeful of getting substantial grants from the Union government to procure buses and create infrastructure under Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM).

The three transport corporations serving Karnataka other than Bangalore, Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC), North West KRTC and North East KRTC, are submitting their own proposals to the Union Urban Developmeniest Ministry seeking sanction for projects, in all, worth Rs. 972 crore. The proposals include procurement of new buses for Tier 2 cities and construction of bus depots, workshops and bus stations.

Principal Secretary to Government (Transport Department) P. Ravi Kumar told The Hindu that the transport corporations are in advanced stages of making the proposals ahead of their counterparts in the country for JNNURM Transition Phase 2013-14.

He said, “Since we are conversant with the procedure, we are ahead of others and we might get the projects sanctioned very soon.”

The Union government would offer 80 per cent of the funds for JNNURM projects for Tier 2 cities while the beneficiary corporation and the State government have to bear the balance amount equally. This will help the transport corporations to provide affordable city commuting in their jurisdictions, Mr. Ravi Kumar said. KSRTC, which caters to commuters in the southern parts of the State, has submitted a proposal for Mysore city exclusively seeking to procure 500 buses, including air-conditioned vehicles, at a cost of Rs. 211 crore. It has proposed to procure 500 buses for 10 other cities/ towns under its jurisdiction at a cost of Rs. 137 crore besides proposing to spend Rs. 136 crore for various infrastructure projects, he said.

On the other hand, the North West KRTC, which caters to people in the north-western parts of the State, has proposed to procure 440 buses at a cost of Rs. 156 crore to serve seven towns under its jurisdiction. It has proposed to take up infrastructure projects worth Rs. 256 crore to provide more facilities to passengers. The NEKRTC, serving the north-eastern region of the State, is keen on procuring 140 buses for eight towns at a cost of Rs. 38 crore. It has sought sanction for infrastructure projects worth Rs. 38 crore, Mr. Ravi Kumar said.

Source-http://www.thehindu.com

« Previous PageNext Page »