Indian Express 28.05.2010
Transport survey must before implementing Metro, BRTS’
Nisha Nambiar Tags : corporation, BRTS Posted: Fri May 28 2010, 00:36 hrs
Pune: Metropolitan Planning Committee meet in June to set agenda for Pune regionEven as the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) is keen on reaching a decision on the metro project and the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) has drawn out plans for Bus Rapid Transport System (BRTS), the Metropolitan Planning Committee (MPC) for Pune region is planning to moot a comprehensive transport survey before the implementation of any such decisions.
The long-awaited meeting of the MPC for setting the agenda will be held on June 5 in Pune. This will be the second meeting of the MPC for Pune region formed two years ago. Last year, a meeting was held in January and later, though the agenda was sent to the Chief Minister, the meeting had to be postponed because of the Lok Sabha and Assembly elections.
The Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority (PMRDA), formed in April 2008, will be the implementing agency for the draft development plan (DP) prepared by the MPC for development of Pune region.
Town planning deputy director Sadhana Naik, who is also the convenor of MPC, said she has already sent a draft agenda to the Ministry of Urban Development Department (UDD) which will be forwarded to the CM’s office. “We have got a date and the draft agenda has been forwarded. The members are meeting after one year,” she said.Even as the two corporations are part of the region, they are working independently, said Naik. “We have suggested that a survey is essential before implementing any project in the region. We have to check the suitability factor as well as the routes and we will draw out the Terms of Referance (TOR) for the study. This will be discussed in the meeting,” she said.
The other major point that will be discussed is the revision of regional plan slated to be completed in 5-6 years. Issues like road networking, developing policies and block sharing will be looked into, she said.
The agenda also mentions the tenure of members who have finished their tenure as MLA or a gram panchayat member.
The members have put forth a request that they should be given a five-year term as members irrespective of the position they hold which would entail bringing in changes in the act. Identification cards for members will also be discussed.
Yet to receive a confirmation of attendance from the CM’s office, Naik said, if the Chief Minister does not chair the meeting, the elected and nominated members, among themselves, will nominate the chairman for the meeting.
Separate office and staff and budgetary allocation for the staff to be provided by the two municipal corporations as well as the other members have to be discussed, she said.
MPC members have repeatedly pointed out that a meeting was must to address issues pertaining to the region.
A member from MPC said that it was not right that the respective civic administrations take decisions on BRTS or metro project without consulting the MPC. “The body has been formed under the chairmanship of the Chief Minister and it has to be consulted before any decision is consolidated for the region. Both the civic bodies come under the metropolitan region,” he said.
