Delhi traffic committee says no to more flyovers; recommends congestion tax

A high-powered committee on ‘Decongestion of Traffic in Delhi’ has called for a paradigm shift in transport planning and policy interventions to check explosive growth in automobile population in the national capital and move people more efficiently than cars through effective public transport system.

The committee set up by M Venkaiah Naidu, minister of Urban Development, in October 2014 came out with a 126-page comprehensive report analysing the causes and consequences of traffic congestion and suggesting a way forward.

Noting that 21% of the city’s area is already under roads with limited scope for road network expansion, 60% of passenger trips are below 4 km distances and 80% below 6 km lengths which are ideal for non-motorised transport, the committee strongly recommended development of necessary infrastructure for promoting walking and cycling in the national capital. It also opined that automobile-centric planning with focus on road widening, construction of more and more flyovers, Foot Over Bridges (FOB), underpasses, etc, have only promoted increased use of private vehicles which are meeting only less than 20% of transport needs and should not be encouraged unless warranted by natural barriers like rivers. It further expressed serious concern over mushrooming of gated communities in the city which are compelling local traffic to come onto main roads by preventing shortcuts for movement of people.

The committee called for various interventions over the next five years to enable 80% share for public transport and non-motorised trips in total transportation in the city wherein the total passenger trips are estimated to increase to 280 lakhs per day in 2021 from a mere 45 lakh trips in 1981, 118 lakh trips in 2001 and 144 lakhs in 2008.

The committee concluded that the explosive growth in automobile population needs to be checked quickly by adopting a ‘carrot and stick’ policy of enabling increased use of public and non-motorised transport and disincentivising use of private vehicles through deterrent parking pricing and Congestion Tax.

Moreover, the committee recommended a four-pronged strategy with the components of:

1. Improving public transport and disincentivising use of private vehicles;

2. Promoting road safety and efficient traffic management;

3. Setting up unified metropolitan transport authority and enhancing institutional capacity; and

4. Promotion of transit-oriented development through integrated land use and transportation planning.

The interventions recommended by the committee for improving public transport in the national capital at an indicative total cost of Rs 19,762 crore include:

1. Development of seven pilot parking management districts under PPP – Rs 70 crore

2. Multimodal Integration of 207 metro stations – Rs 4,957 crore,

3. Cycle tracks and footpaths – Rs 2,300 crore

4. Cycle sharing projects – Rs 1,715 crore,

5. BRTS and bus service improvement – Rs 6,760 crore

6. Removal of choke points, junction improvement and providing missing links to enable commissioning of nearly finished projects – Rs 3,250 crore (this has already been provided by the Ministry of Urban Development under Urban Development Fund) and

7. Capacity building – Rs 40 crore.

 The panel also recommended five BRTS corridors for priority consideration which include: Karwal Nagar –Moti Gate (12.90 km), Gazipur NH-24 –National Stadium (12 km), Dishal Garden Metro Station-Tikri Border (40 km), Badarpur Border – International Airport via Mahipalpur (26.10 km) and Harsh Vihar-Janakpuri  District Centre-Janakpuri D-Block (33 km).