Draft Action Plan for Rs 50-cr investment in transport sector

The draft Action Plan on Climate Change prepared by the Orissa government has set aside an indicative budget of Rs 50 crore for the transport sector which will be spent on various mitigation and adaptation measures to address the concerns posed by climate change.

As many as 19 measures have been suggested for the transport sector out of which 17 are mitigation measures with the remaining two being adaptation measures.

The draft plan has been prepared by the state government with the help of sectoral experts from the World Bank and the UK-based Department for International Development (DIFD) while the city-based CTRAN Consulting has been engaged as the knowledge partner.

The Action Plan on the transport sector has envisaged measures like improvement and modernization of existing bus systems, segregation of low speed and high speed vehicles, use of clean alternative fuels, reduction of vehicle emissions by setting standards for fuels and auto emissions and going for more one-way streets.

The key priorities identified are revising state transport policies, integrating urban and transport planning, enhancing use of rail, sequestering carbon through avenue plantations, estimating carbon emissions from the transport sector and piloting low carbon, green highways.

The draft plan has also called for a policy to phase out old vehicles for emission reduction, introduction of Mass Rapid Transport System (MRTS) in the suburban areas, protection of coastal road infrastructure from sea erosion and undertaking a strategic study for expanding public infrastructure across the state.

Besides, the plan also emphasized on integration of urban development and land use planning with transport planning, encouraging transportation of bulk cargo through rail network, blending of bio-fuel in auto fuel, promoting and incentivising use of non-motorized vehicles and strengthening enforcement wing for emission level check ups.