To regulate traffic and tide over the problem of haphazard parking, the government is mulling over the creation of an urban transport authority under the local municipal corporation (MC) so that the city’s mobility plan can be implemented effectively.

With the MC failing to implement the condition of having a mandatory parking floor in all constructions being undertaken in the town, vehicles parked along the roads are adding to the traffic woes and restricting free mobility of vehicles all over the town.

There is now a proposal to create an urban transport authority, which will regulate urban transport --- whether it is buses, taxis or other public transport.

The issue came up for discussion at a recent meeting of senior functionaries of the Urban Development, Town and Country Planning Department, MC, Transport, Police and HIMUDA.

It was observed that despite creation of a separate parking floor being made mandatory in the rules of the Town and Country Planning Department, most house owners were avoiding it.

“The MC is the agency which has to check whether a separate parking floor has been created or not and only then the completion certificate should be issued,” said a senior official.

Sources said it was basically opposition from the councillors that was making it difficult for the MC to implement strictly the condition of having a parking floor.

“Even though the TCP Rules clearly say a parking floor has to be there, but MC, in violation of these rules, is issuing completion certificates,” admitted a senior official.

The issue of plying of 75 new buses in Shimla was discussed and it was decided that it must be done in a manner in which the routes integrate with the existing fleet with the transport.

Source: The Tribune