The Hindu Business Line : Unified transport authority proposed for Mumbai

The proposal is to introduce an electronically controlled system on the lines of that existing in Singapore. This will enable anyone to call a taxi from any point in the city at anytime.

Mumbai , Sept. 5

THE Maharashtra Government proposes to set up a Unified Transport Authority to oversee integrated development of various modes of transport in Mumbai.

According to Mr Sanjay Ubale, Secretary (Special Project), Maharashtra, the proposal is based on the recommendation of a task force on Mumbai City Development Strategies.

The basic idea is to improve the quality of transport service in the city. The thrust is to encourage public transport system and discourage increasing use of private vehicles. An integrated development of suburban rail service and road transport system is essential to move in this direction, Mr Ubale told Business Line.

He said Mumbai city has over 50,000 taxies. The capacity of these vehicles is not effectively used in the absence of a coordinated system. The proposal is to introduce an electronically controlled system (GPS) on the lines of that existing in Singapore. This will enable anyone to call a taxi from any point in the city at anytime of the day, said Mr Ubale. The quality of taxi service will also be improved. He said a scheme is being proposed to replace the existing taxies with better quality vehicles in a phased manner.

Taxi operators will be allowed to lease their licence to operate taxis.

While organised taxi operators run the service, the individual taxi owner will continue to get his share of the revenue. This is expected to improve the quality of service and also ensure that taxi operators are not out of job.

Another proposal is to introduce better quality public transport system to discourage increasing use of private cars. Discussions with BEST are on to introduce executive bus service in Mumbai.

About 10 per cent of the city population currently use more than 25 per cent of the road space. This is not the efficient use of roads.

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