NEW DELHI, April 23: The National Transport Development Policy Committee (NTDPC), constituted under the chairmanship of Rakesh Mohan, has submitted its report suggesting reforms for development of various modes of transport. These reforms are categorised as immediate reforms and long-run goals. Immediate reforms have been suggested at the national, state and metropolitan levels. However, long-term goals are for national and metropolitan levels.
At the national level, the Committee has suggested the formation of a high-level and independent Office of Transport Strategy (OTS) and to move towards investment and strategy for transport as an integrated system. It has also suggested National Transport Infrastructure Finance to be neutral with respect to means of delivering mobility, sustainability and inclusion goals.
At the state level, the Committee has suggested to establish urban transport as a subject to state level and to develop formal mechanisms for state participation in decisions about initiation, siting, size and other aspects of airports and rail-based transport. It has also suggested formation of state-level counterparts OTS, with particular focus on urban transport.
At metropolitan level, the Committee has suggested for creation of Unified Metropolitan Transport Authority (UMTAs) as statutory authority. It further suggested independent budgets expert personnel in all urban agglomerations with population greater than three million and formation of metropolitan planning committees as per Constitutional mandate. The Committee’s recommendations include creation of public-private centres of excellence in urban transport in all cities larger than one million and investment in unified metropolitan databases.
This information was given by Minister of State for Ministry of Road Transport & Highways, Pon Radhakrishnan in a written reply in the Lok Sabha today.
 (1) (2) (1)_20241009154859_original_image_49.webp)
