Parisar, along with about 10 other NGOs and individuals have recently written to the Secretary Ubran Development Department, Govt of India, New Delhi, expressing their serious concerns at the prevailing policies driving Traffic and Transportation Policies in the city. They feel that there is a serious divergence in policies formulated by the Central Government to make a positive impact on condition of urban transportation, and the actual implementation of traffic projects in the cities by urban local bodies ie municipal corporations.
They point out that a good example of this is the way in which the city is trying to implement the recent "One Way Scheme" on Jangli Maharaj Road and Fergusson College Road. In contradiction to the National Urban Transport Policy which stresses the need to move "people" rather than "vehicles", something that can only be achieved by strengthening the Public Transport System and Non-Motorised Transport, while simultaneously attempting to reduce the use of personalised vehicles on the roads at least during the peak hours, the majority of projects being taken up by the city such as road widening, flyovers etc. typically favour personalised vehicles and compromise the safety, comfort and convenience of pedestrians, cyclists and public transport commuters.
Scanned images of the text of the letter and list of signatories sent to the Ministry is reproduced below, while a newspaper article on the letter can be found here.
