Urban News

  • Increase font size
  • Default font size
  • Decrease font size
Urban Transportation

Pay and Park contract: Panel asks civic officials to rework proposal

Thursday, 18 April 2013 10:29 administrator
Print PDF

The Indian Express                18.04.2013

Pay and Park contract: Panel asks civic officials to rework proposal

PMC corporators will not introduce parking fees for vehicles parked on city roads as the co-ordination committee has urged civic officers to rework the proposal by re-tendering the process of pay and park contract.

"It was unanimously decided by leaders of all political parties that the pay and park proposal should not be approved. The administration has been asked to re-table the proposal after repeating the tendering process. The elected representatives have also asked for considering pay and park only for select roads," Mayor Vaishali Bankar said, adding the corporators raised several objections on the proposal saying it would create inconvenience to local residents where it will be implemented. Students using vehicles to commute to colleges and private classes would suffer if they are charged parking fees.

The corporators had rejected the proposal in the past saying the civic body had failed to provide an efficient public transport system to citizens and was trying to put additional burden by charging parking fees from private vehicles.

However, the civic administration, as per the directives of the Union government to discourage private vehicles and encourage use of public transport so as to clear city roads has been tabling the proposal. Its almost three years that the administration has been seeking permission for introducing parking fees for vehicles on city roads.

The administration proposed that parking fee for two-wheelers would be free for the first half an hour, after which Rs 2 will be charged for vehicles parked for more than half an hour, but less than an hour. The parking fee from the second hour would be Rs 3 per hour for two-wheelers, and Rs 5 for four-wheelers.The administration said the rise in the number of vehicles and insufficient parking facilities in buildings in the central part of the city have led to parking of vehicles on roads.

"There is a need to make roads available for traffic more than for parking of vehicles. The large number of vehicles being parked on city roads are adding to the chaos and rise in accidents. Therefore, it is necessary to discourage citizens from using personal vehicle by introducing parking fees," the proposal said. 

 

To beat autos, RMC cuts bus fares

Tuesday, 16 April 2013 00:00 administrator
Print PDF

The Indian Express                  16.04.2013

To beat autos, RMC cuts bus fares

Unable to compete with autorickshaw operators, the Rajkot Municipal Corporation (RMC) on Monday reduced passenger fares for its Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS) services with an aim to attract more travellers.

Rajkot Rajpath Limited (RRL), a special purpose vehicle of RMC which operates the BRTS services, reduced fares across the board by Re 1-Rs 4 while announcing 50 per cent concession for their travelling passes. According to the new rates, effective from Monday, the lowest ticket is priced at Rs 4 instead of Rs 5 earlier. Similarly, the costliest ticket will now come at Rs 15 instead of Rs 19.

"Autorickshaws are directly competing with us. While an auto driver charges Rs 15 for a one-way journey from Gondal Crossroads to Madhapar Crossroads, our fare was Rs 19. However, by today's reduction, we have brought our fares almost at par with auto charges to win more passengers," RMC city engineer Chirag Pandya said.

 

PCMC to develop parking lots outside four railway stations

Monday, 15 April 2013 11:32 administrator
Print PDF

The Times of India                    15.04.2013

PCMC to develop parking lots outside four railway stations

PUNE: Commuters will have better parking options near the Pimpri, Chinchwad, Kasarwadi and Dapodi railway stations.

The PimpriChinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) has drawn up a plan to provide park-and-ride facility in plots reserved in the development plan (DP). Besides rail commuters, the parking spaces will also be beneficial for commuters who will use BRT corridor between Dapodi and Nigdi. The Pimpri Chinchwad New Township Development Authority has already developed a lot near Akurdi railway station.

Additional municipal commissioner Prakash Kadam said, that thousands of people use suburban local trains between Pune-Lonavla every day for going to workplace, schools and colleges.

"Public transport buses cannot reach interior areas, so people have to use private vehicles to reach the nearest railway station. This creates the need for having large parking lots near railway stations. So, the PCMC will acquire and develop plots to encourage people to use public transport. This will reduce pollution and vehicular traffic on roads."

The civic body recently surveyed areas around railway stations in Pimpri Chinchwad and found that parking space around these four stations was inadequate. The civic administration directed the town planning department begin land acquisition. The engineering department will develop the plots. Kadam said the four railway stations - Dapodi, Kasarwadi, Pimpri and Chinchwad - are located along the Pune-Mumbai highway.

The civic body plans to implement BRT on the highway corridor by December.

"If the parking lots are developed near stations, they will be useful for bus commuters, who can park their vehicles and travel by bus or train," Kadam said.

Gulamali Bhaldar, executive president of Chinchwad Pravasi Sangh, said, "Parking lots near railway stations are inadequate because several travellers stay in the interiors and have to reach the station by two-wheelers. So, considering the growth of population in the next 30 years, the PCMC's move is praiseworthy."
Last Updated on Monday, 15 April 2013 11:34
 
More Articles...


Page 39 of 146