Jammu, Apr 8: Government has in principle decided to get consultancy from M/S RITES Limited, a pioneering international consultancy for scientific transport and traffic mobility management, to improve and upgrade traffic system in the State.
 The Planning and Development Department would soon submit a proposal in this regard to the Cabinet for approval.
 This, according to an official statement, was decided at a high level meeting held here this afternoon, presided by the Minister for Transport and CA&PD,   Qamar Ali Akhoon.
 The Minister of State for Transport and CA&PD,   Shabir Ahmad Khan was also present.
 The experts of the M/S RITES and Urban Mass Transit Company (UMTC) gave power point presentation on National Urban Transport Policy and its application for cities of Jammu and Kashmir and also presented proposals for a Comprehensive Mobility Plan (CMP) for Jammu and Srinagar cities. The recommendations of the consultancy would form basis for the future short term and long-term traffic management strategies and possibilities for metro rail services in the cities of Jammu and Kashmir.
 The Principal Secretary, Finance,   Sudhanshu Panday, Commissioner/ Secretary, Planning,   B. B. Vyas, Divisional Commissioner, Jammu,   Pawan Kotwal, Commissioner/Secretary, CA&PD, Dr. Asgar Samoon, Secretary Transport,  s. Tanveer Jan, MD, JKSRTC,   Anoop Kannaw, Transport Commissioner, Dr. S. M. Fazul-ullah, IGP Traffic,   M. A. Shah, Municipal Commissioner, Jammu,   Mubarak Singh, Director (T) ERA,   M. M. Gupta, Director ( C ) ERA,   Vinod Sharma, Additional Deputy Commissioner, Ramban,   Vinod Sharma, Commandant BSF. Col. Sandeep Yadav and representative of BEACON,   R. K. Garag were also present in the meeting, 
 Speaking on the occasion,   Akhoon urged for devising a comprehensive transport policy in the State to cope up with the ever increasing influx of motor vehicles, management of roads and a vibrant traffic mobility and management plan based on both short and long term measures. He also urged for dove-tailing the State Land Use Act and traffic management system for achieving desired results.
 “As per estimates, about 40,000 vehicles are added on the roads of the State yearly”,   Akhoon said, adding that closer coordination between police, traffic and transport departments is needed to manage the traffic system efficiently and curb traffic mismanagement. The R&B department has also to play a vital role in this regard by way of improving and upgrading the road network, he added.

Lastupdate on : Thu, 8 Apr 2010 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Thu, 8 Apr 2010 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Fri, 9 Apr 2010 00:00:00 IST