The Uttar Pradesh government has recommended that big cities should have more number of railway stations for an integrated and sustainable transport system.
Besides, the state has also recommended aligning compressed natural gas (CNG) pipeline alongside the existing industrial hubs.
An working group constituted by the government to look into and suggest measures at improving transportation has evolved these ideas, which would be conveyed to the National Transport Development Policy Committee (NTDPC).
Experts from the Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur, had been consulted in preparing the recommendations to the committee.
The working group also felt that a ‘interstate regional transport authorities’ could be constituted for futuristic planning and smooth transportation.
It suggested an appellate authority at national level along with a state-level commission to implement different transportation projects like laying of new railway tracks, highways or new vehicle routes. A minimum of 75 km has been suggested as inter-airport distance within a state.
The working group met here under the chairmanship of Anil Kumar Gupta, infrastructure & industrial development commissioner (IIDC), UP, to finalise these recommendations.
Stressing on the need to develop transport infrastructure across states, Gupta said “interstate regional transport authorities are required for better coordination and integrated development of transport facilities amongst states.”
Expressing concern over encroachments and lack of proper maintenance of highways, the IIDC suggested that public-private partnership route be adopted, in case there is a paucity of funds.
He further informed that plans were afoot to bring CNG to the state from the eastern part of the country, a move Gupta said would benefit the industry.
The meeting was also attended by state transport principal secretary B S Bhullar, transport commissioner Alok Kumar and senior officials from departments of public works department, civil aviation, National Highways Authority of India among others.
