The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) has for the first time, begun an exercise to frame proper guidelines for a traffic assessment impact study for bigger establishments, commercial or residential complexes similar to existing rules for permitting multiplexes.
So far, such reports by independent consultants were being submitted by multiplexes and the same was passed on to the traffic police for clearance. But due to lack of a proper framework of guidelines, to assess traffic impact or even on measures suggested to ensure that there was not too much of negative impact on surrounding civic infrastructure when such a big structure is built, confusion affects the regulatory mechanism.
Commissioner M.T. Krishna Babu held an extensive meeting with senior officials of traffic police, HMDA, JNTUH, NIT (Warangal) and voluntary agencies to identify issues to be tackled when rules are framed and how costs should be shared.
Size of buildings and nature of constructions can be controlled once rules are framed based on the traffic generated, especially in core areas, said Mr. Krishna Babu, adding that the proposed guidelines would take into account entry and exit paths of vehicles in the complexes.
“For a growing city like ours it is imperative to have clear guidelines to serve as a benchmark to assess the traffic impact studies submitted, like rules evolved for fire safety,” explained Additional Commissioner (Planning) K. Dhananjaya Reddy.
Having gathered viewpoints of various departments and stakeholders on regulation, the corporation is to issue a tender to appoint a traffic consultant for the job.
Once the draft rules are ready, it would be put up with all agencies involved and necessary changes would be made accordingly, he said. Once the guidelines are notified it would also mean the GHMC should have its own traffic consultant to whet the traffic impact assessment study before permissions are accorded, he added. Additional Commissioner of Police (Traffic) C.V. Anand and HMDA Chief Engineer V. Madhwa Raja participated.
