Prabhu calls for an integrated transport solutions body

MUMBAI, June 7: Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu today said the Centre, state government and the local governing bodies should join hands to create an "integrated transport solutions body" to address the public transportation issues of smart cities. "The government has planned to create 100 smart cities. These cities will require smart transportation facilities. For this the Centre and state governments and local bodies should join hands to create an integrated transport solutions body to plan seamless transport systems," Prabhu said at a seminar on 'Smart Cities' here through video conference. He said transport was a key issue, which needs to be addressed while planning a smart city. "Railways, airports, local public transport, all will play a key role while creating smart cities as we need to integrate the entire system into one seamless travel experience. Therefore, we will have to find some uniform solutions to address the commutation needs of the cities," the minister said. He added that since railways and civil aviation come under the purview of the Union Government, all the three - Centre, state and local bodies should work together. "To protect the environment from carbon emissions, we will have to encourage public transport. But if the transportation system is planned independent of each other in isolation, then it will not give the result that we aim at. Therefore, we need an integrated plan to ensure creation of such transport infrastructure that will address the issue of environment protection," Prabhu added.