Delhi govt drafting bill for unified metropolitan transport authority: CMO

Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta has directed a task force headed by the chief secretary to draft a bill for a unified metropolitan transport authority for the capital, the CMO said in a statement on Friday.

The task force was constituted by the government in December last year. The process has now been initiated for drafting a comprehensive bill to create the Delhi Unified Metropolitan Transport Authority (DUMTA) and a dedicated Delhi Urban Transport Fund.

The proposed bill will seek to rationalise, integrate and coordinate Delhi’s presently fragmented transport ecosystem under a single, coherent planning and governance framework, aiming to create a modern, efficient, people-centric and environmentally sustainable transport system, the statement said.

The task force, comprising senior officials from transport, urban development, finance, public works and planning departments, has been directed to prepare and submit the draft bill at the earliest.

It also includes representatives from major civic and transport authorities such as Delhi Development Authority, Municipal Corporation of Delhi, Delhi Metro Rail Corporation, Delhi Transport Corporation, the National Capital Region Transport Corporation and Indian Railways.

The chief minister has suggested that renowned experts in urban transportation may also be roped in to ensure that best global practices and local realities are integrated into the proposed framework, the statement said.

The task force will also finalise the structure of DUMTA, hold stakeholders’ consultations, organise board meetings, and identify and finalise the aims of DUMTA.

According to the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO), the proposed DUMTA will facilitate integrated planning and management of urban transport, multi-modal integration of transport services, rational fare structures, research studies and awareness.

It will also monitor implementation of a comprehensive mobility plan. The Unified Traffic and Transportation Infrastructure (Planning and Engineering) Centre (UTTIPEC) is already working on the common mobility plan, the statement said.

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The DUMTA will also be entrusted with preparing a transport investment programme for Delhi-NCR, and management of the Delhi Urban Transport Fund.

“DUMTA will bring cohesion to Delhi’s entire urban mobility system. By placing all modes of transport like metro, buses, regional rail, railways and feeder services within a single planning jurisdiction, we will ensure that mobility solutions are integrated, efficient and citizen-focused,” the CMO said.

It will play a critical role in decongesting Delhi’s roads by strengthening public transport, improving last-mile connectivity and encouraging a shift away from private vehicles, the statement added.