CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu government is likely to implement the Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS), which has been pending for a long time.
State Housing Secretary S Krishnan said the State government is considering implementing the BRTS and Detailed Project Reports are being prepared.
Speaking at ‘Next Gen Infrastructure in Chennai — A City Connect Initiative’ organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry here on Thursday, he said the proposed Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) will be introduced on the city roads by next financial year.
The ITS is an advanced application which, without embodying intelligence as such, aims at providing innovative services relating to different modes of transport and traffic management and enable various users to be better informed and make safer, more coordinated and ‘smarter’ use of transport networks.
It is learnt that Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), the main agency for Japan’s overseas development aid, has submitted the draft of detailed project report on implementing the ITS, which is being reviewed by various stakeholders before getting the stamp of approval from Tamil Nadu Infrastructure Board.
Krishnan also highlighted the idea of slum-free cities that is gaining momentum of late. He said the ‘Tamil Nadu Vision 2023’ document is very clear about implementing it in a big way as part of urban infrastructure and development.
He said that Coimbatore stood as a shining example on that count as the district administration had rehabilitated 10,000 families living on water bodies by providing proper alternative living spaces to them. This was also based on the efforts to reclaim the lost water bodies in Coimbatore and save them for future use effectively. The secretary said 5,000 more families living on water bodies in Coimbatore district would be relocated soon.
Arun Bhagat, convener, Taskforce on Chennai Infrastructure, CII Chennai Zone, and Chief Operating Officer, GMR Krishnagiri Special Investment Zone, who set the context for the conference, said there was a need for creating awareness on infrastructure projects happening around for the benefit of the people.
Bhagat also wanted better use of urban management with the creation of intelligent traffic system, IT parks and proper waste disposal mechanism.
M Ponnuswami, vice chairman, CII Tamil Nadu, and chairman & managing director, Pon Pure Chemical India Pvt Ltd, said Tamil Nadu had a strong bureaucracy now. That was a sure sign of infrastructure development getting a boost from the government. He also emphasised the need to decongest market places.