UK to suggest eco transport system for Chandigarh

Dushyant Singh Pundir

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, November 18

To reduce air pollution, the United Kingdom (UK) will conduct a study to suggest an alternative eco-friendly transport system for the city.

Meanwhile, to solve the urban transport problem, the Rail India Technical and Economic Service (RITES) will prepare a fresh comprehensive mobility plan for the tricity.

The aim

• The project aims to study socio-economic profile, traffic and transportation characteristics and emission levels
• Key challenges and areas of intervention for decarbonisation and EV transition
• A detailed roadmap to increase uptake of e-mobility and action plan and timeline for rollout will be created - Creating industry-government engagement to deliberate roadmap
• The area of ‘city twinning’ with a go-ultra low city will be explored as well
• The project will deliver the final report on an alternative eco-friendly transport system

During a meeting, chaired by UT Adviser Dharam Pal, various aspects of the scope of the study to be conducted by the UT were discussed.

Madhuchhanda Mishra from the British Deputy High Commission told officers that the project would be funded by the UK for a duration of 12 months and would tentatively start in January 2022. The broad objective was to provide support for decarbonising the city transport and contribute to the climate change agenda.

The study would focus on suggesting an alternative eco-friendly transport system for the city, she said. The Adviser appreciated the British High Commission proposal for the study and accorded its concurrence to initiate the project. On conducting the study, the British High Commission would look at various options available across the world and depending upon the requirements of the city, it would give recommendations regarding combination of modes that would be feasible in Chandigarh keeping in view the requirement for the next 20 to 30 years, the UT Adviser said.

On the study to be conducted by RITES, he said the agency would prepare an overall mobility plan for a mass rapid transport system (MRTS) for the tricity. Both recommendations would be studied and then a final proposal would be prepared which would be sent to the Ministry of Housing and Urban Planning for approval, he said.

RITES had prepared a report on the city’s mobility plan in 2009. However, the report was found to be outdated as the city’s requirements have changed drastically in the past more than a decade and also, the guidelines set by the Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry of the MRTS project have changed.

RITES had suggested a Metro, which was opposed by Member of Parliament Kirron Kher. She had said that she would never want a small city like Chandigarh get uprooted for a Metro.

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