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Bangalore Metro put on the fast track

Special Correspondent

Union Cabinet approves Group of Ministers' recommendations

NEW DELHI: Paving the way for early clearance of the Bangalore Metro project, the Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved the recommendations of a Group of Ministers that State Governments be allowed to make the choice of selecting the gauge for metro rail projects.

It also recommended that the States be given powers to legislate on the operation and maintenance of the projects and that the institution of Commissioner of Railway Safety be strengthened so that it had the capacity to issue safety certification for metro systems as well.

The Bangalore Metro project has already been cleared by the Union Urban Development Ministry and was awaiting approval from the Union Cabinet's Committee on Economic Affairs, pending the Government's decisions on three issues: whether the Centre or the States should have the power to legislate on the operation and maintenance of such projects; what should be the gauge of the tracks; and whether the Commissioner of Railway Safety should have the capacity to issuing safety certification for metro systems also or whether some other agency needed to be appointed to take up that responsibility.

After detailed discussions with the Railway Ministry, State Governments and other stakeholders, the Group of Ministers headed by Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar last month recommended that the States should not only have the authority to legislate on the operation and maintenance of metro systems but also have the liberty to choose the gauge for the tracks.

On the issue of safety certification, it concluded that the Commissioner of Railway Safety could discharge that responsibility too, provided certain measures were taken to strengthen his hands.

Official sources told The Hindu that following the Cabinet's decision to accept the recommendations of the GoM, the process of approval for the Bangalore metro project should now "get on the fast track."

Urban transport policy

The Cabinet also approved the adoption of a National Urban Transport Policy, which seeks, among other things, to incorporate urban transportation as an important parameter at the planning stage itself rather than as a consequential requirement, bring about a more equitable allocation of road space, with people rather than vehicles as its main focus and encourage greater use of public transport and non-motorised modes by offering Central financial assistance for the purposes.

The policy seeks to encourage integrated land use and transport planning in all cities so that travel distances are minimised and access to livelihoods, education and other social needs, especially for the marginalised segments, are improved. It seeks to introduce intelligent transport systems for traffic management, promote the use of cleaner technologies, raise finance through innovative mechanisms that tap land as a resource for investments in urban transport infrastructure.

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