Committed to non-motorised, public transport in cities: Reddy

With Metro Rail becoming a buzzword for travel in the capital, the Centre today said it was committed to promoting non-motorised and public transport in metropolitan cities like Delhi. Union Urban Development Minister S Jaipal Reddy also said the BRT system in Delhi got much flak due to "upper-class dominated media perception" but has come out as a "success".

"The Ministry is committed to promote non-motorised and public transport," Reddy said at the conclusion of a three-day conference on urban mobility here in which experts from various fields discussed issues pertaining to urban transport.

Reddy said he was a "critic" of private transport for environmental reasons and traffic congestion. "We tend to spend more time in traffic jams than at the workplace," he said, referring to the worsening traffic situation in Delhi and other Metros of the country.

Referring to media reports which was critical of the Delhi government for introducing the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system in a part of the city, he said it was an "upper class dominated media perception". He said, "BRT has been a success in Delhi".

The project has so far been implemented in a small stretch of around six kms in the national capital. Emphasising on the importance of public transport, Reddy said, "we need to upgrade the class status of bus service and also those who use cycles".

For promotion of non-motorised transport, he said, "I wish cycling becomes a fashion statement".