TN framing rules to set up Chennai Unified Metropolitan Transport Authority

C SHIVAKUMAR @ CHENNAI:

Nearly eight years ago after Tamil Nadu came out with Chennai Unified Metropolitan Transport Authority Act to carve out a single nodal agency that directs planning, operations, and monitoring of various transport modes in the metropolitan area of Chennai, the state is now thinking to implement the Act by drafting the rules.

This would mean that Chennai’s entire transport network will now be controlled by Chennai Unified Metropolitan Transport Authority once the draft of Chennai Unified Metropolitan Transport Authority Rules, 2018 is prepared and notified.

This comes after CUMTA which was to frame an urban transport policy for the Chennai Metropolitan Area on the lines of National Urban Transport Policy, received the assent of the governor on November 27, 2010 and was published in the Tamil Nadu Gazette Extraordinary on December 2, 2010.

Since, CUMTA Act could not be notified by the government, the authority could not be formed as a result it delayed integration of all public mass passenger transport modes by means of various measures including routing and scheduling, operating feeder services and combined or common ticketing to facilitate seamless commuting options to the public.

Under the proposed rules drafted by the government, The Unified Metropolitan Transport Authority will have a secretariat within the urban mobility area to discharge its functions under the Act. It will also have a Member-Secretary, who shall be the chief executive of the Authority and all the officers and employees appointed by the authority shall be under his administrative control.

Currently, the state government has 10 different agencies, which are involved in traffic and transportation management in Chennai Metropolitan area and governed by various ministries and department.

Sources said since many agencies are involved in planning, providing operations and managing transportation system in the CMA, the role of such agencies overlap each other resulting in the need for a unified agency for proper coordination and streamlining of the activities among various agencies.

Interestingly, the rules are being drafted when Chennai Metro has been asked to prepare Comprehensive Urban Mobility Plan which is a necessity to get the clearance for second phase of Chennai Metro. This also comes when the Chennai Metropolitan Area has been increased to 8,878 square kilometer.

CUMTA dateline:

1994: TN plans establishment of Unified Metropolitan Transport Authority

Nov 27, 2010: CUMTA receives assent of governor

December, 2, 2010: Published in TN Gazette Extraordinary

February 9, 2012: First meeting held under Transport Minister

July, 2012: First Executive Committee Meeting held

December, 2013: CUMTA Rule Making committee holds third meeting

Unified Transport Agencies across the world:

1. STIF (Transport Syndicate of the Ile de France) is a unified transport authority accountable for transportation of the whole region of Paris on all modes of ground transport.

2. Transport for London (TfL) is an integrated transport authority accountable for London’s transport system. TfL is responsible for planning and operations of transport facilities in the city that involves more than 24 million commuters every day.

3. TransLink Vancouver is the regional transportation authority of Metro Vancouver. It is responsible for regional transit, cycling, commuting options and installation Intelligent Transportation System programs.

4. The Land Transport Authority of Singapore (LTA) is the authority responsible for land transport development and regulation in Singapore.