Registration of a new vehicle should be done only when the owner produces proof of disposal of the old vehicle and availability of parking space, parliamentary panel on Home Affairs headed by Congress leader Anand Sharma has recommended in its report ‘The Management of Worsening Traffic Situation in Delhi’ which was tabled in Parliament on Wednesday.
Taking a grim view of the traffic situation in Delhi, the panel has made 107 recommendations based on their consultations with Union Ministries of Home Affairs, Road Transport and Highways and Housing and Urban Affairs and representatives of the Delhi government, four urban local bodies, DDA, Delhi Police and other agencies.
The number of vehicles registered each day in Delhi is growing. The population of Delhi has grown from 4 lakh in 1901 to over 192 lakh now and projected to rise to 225 lakh by 2025. There is 112 lakh vehicles in Delhi accounting for 12.50% of total vehicles in the country. And over 1,700 vehicles are registered each day here, stated the report.
“Registration of new vehicles should be allowed only if the old vehicle is either scrapped or disposed of and if the occupant of a house has parking space,” the panel has noted. It also recommended that insurance premium for the vehicles should be connected directly to traffic rule violations.
Expressing concern over old and unfit vehicles plying on Delhi roads, the committee recommended strict action to ensure compliance with the order of National Green Tribunal on phasing out diesel and petrol vehicles of 10 and 15 years vintage respectively.
The panel flagged that public transport falls woefully short. There has been no addition to the bus fleet in the last ten years, the panel said. It has strongly recommended the Delhi government to ensure addition of 6,000 more buses at the earliest. Taking note of poor response to some tenders in this regard, the committee said that there is a need to revise the norms to invite adequate response.
The panel also pulled up Delhi Police, asking them to focus on rule enforcement not only at traffic lights but also to ensure on-road discipline like lane driving.
Acknowledging the positive impact of the Delhi Metro and noting that it has, however, not made much different to the number of vehicles on Delhi roads for want of last-mile connectivity, the panel urged DMRC to undertake multi-modal integration at all the stations besides increasing the fleet strength and frequency, rationalisation of fares and expansion to the unconnected areas.
There should be separate lanes for the VIP traffic, the committee has suggested. “The Ministry of Home Affairs should coordinate with all concerned to ensure free and safe movement of important persons without inconveniencing the commuters,” the report said.
The panel also recommended exploration of dedicated lanes for emergency vehicles like ambulances and fire engines to save precious lives and for two-wheelers as well in view of their substantial number using Delhi roads.
The panel expressed anguish over non-introduction of computer-based Area Traffic Control Systems which is operational in South East Asian countries for 30 years.
