Delhi smog should be taken as serious warning: Rao Inderjit

Expressing concern over the severe air pollution Delhi faced recently, Union Minister Rao Inderjit Singh today said it should be taken as a "serious warning" and all stakeholders should "wake up in time" to avoid its recurrence.
"Delhi (smog) should be taken as a serious warning to the future of urban India and all concerned should wake up in time so as not to meet the same fate," he said while addressing the valedictory session of the four day 'Urban Mobility India (UMI) Conference and Expo' here.
The Minister of State for Urban Development presented 20 major conclusions and recommendations of the conference which included speedy promotion of infrastructure for non-motorised transport like footpaths, walkways and cycleways.

It also included consideration of metro projects only after exploring other alternatives and called for revision of metro fares every year.
Expressing concern over only a few cities having formulated Comprehensive Mobility Plans (CMPs), the conference suggested mandatory preparation of CMPs to ensure optimal use of all modes of transport based on people's choices and the city's needs.
It also called for environment-friendly transport solutions to meet Paris Agreement commitments, besides early intervention in small and medium cities so that they do not meet the fate of large ones with chaotic mobility scenario.

Rejecting the myth that people don't like to travel by bus, the conference recommended provision of efficient and comfortable bus services including inter-city services connecting satellite towns.

The conference also underscored the need to create an environment for effective use of Public Private Partnership as a tool of resource mobilisation by enabling risk sharing as against the present scenario of only the private investor bearing all risks.
The 10th UMI Conference and Expo will be held in Hyderabad.