CHENNAI: Tiruchy is likely to become the second city in Tamil Nadu to frame its own urban transport policy. It is reliably learnt that a senior official in the Union Urban Development Ministry recently chaired a meeting in New Delhi, in which the structure of the Urban Metropolitan Transport Authority (UMTA) was discussed.
Tiruchy, which was selected from seven cities in the country for the UMTA -- an umbrella body that co-ordinates the entire transport activities of a city -- will now have the power to design networks and routes, assess demand and contract services, monitor performance and manage common facilities such as bus stations and terminals.
The meeting focused on the structure of the UMTA in Tiruchy in terms of its powers and functions, geographical coverage, legal provisions, organisational structures, funding sources and composition of the governing board.
During the round-table conference, chaired by Union Urban Development Additional Secretary Durga Shanker Mishra, it was decided that the Centre will plan a single legislation for the state to authorise inclusion of any city to establish the UMTA within the state.
“This will facilitate the process of establishment of the UMTA in many cities as a new Act will not be required every time a city wishes to set it up,” sources added.