J&K to get Metropolitan Transport Authorities to revamp urban transport

In a major decision to bring revolutionary changes to urban transport, Jammu and Kashmir Administrative Council (AC) which met under the chairmanship of Lieutenant Governor, G C Murmu, gave a go-ahead to the establishment of Unified Metropolitan Transport Authorities (UMTAs) for the cities of Jammu and Srinagar as envisaged in the Master Plans of the two capital cities.

"The sanctioned bodies will be headed by the Chief Secretary with Administrative Secretaries and officers of the key departments/ authorities impinging on transport and mobility, nominees of agencies of Government of India and independent experts as members. These new bodies will function as a part of respective Metropolitan Region Development Authorities created under the J&K Metropolitan Region Development Authorities Act, 2018," Official Statement read.

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"The decision is aimed at developing an advanced, well planned and better-coordinated transport system in the capital cities by overcoming the dissonance arising from the multiplicity of existing agencies with their separate and at times conflicting policies under the guidance of National Urban Transport Policy, 2006," it added.

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"Once functional, UMTA will secure the development of an integrated, efficient, modern, multi-modal mobility system including non-motorized transport with a focus on the movement of people and goods instead of vehicles.UMTA is also envisioned to aid policy formulation and regulation for undertaking integrated and holistic planning for transport services with associated infrastructure by focusing on coordination across different organisations, agencies and management of common facilities minated," it further read.

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In another decision, Administrative Council (AC) approved allotment of an additional 250 Kanal land at Rakh-i-Gund Akshan, Bemina, Srinagar for expansion of Judicial Infrastructure including the construction of New High Court Complex.

"The new allotment comes in addition to the 250 Kanals of land that was transferred to the High Court earlier in December 2019. The creation of Judicial Infrastructure on land aggregating to 500 Kanals at Rakh-i-Gund Akshan is expected to meet twin objectives of decongesting the Srinagar city while strengthening the Judicial Infrastructure which will house diverse ancillary legal facilities at one place," Official statement read.

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