CHENNAI: A World Bank team is holding a discussion on Mission on Urban mobility and water and resilience with State government officials under Chennai City Partnership Programme (CCPP). The meeting will be wrapped up on Friday. The mission, lead by Gerald Paul Olivier, lead transport specialist, Transport Practice, and Sumila Guliyani, programme leader, Infrastructure Development, will hold talks on funding of projects for Chennai. The CCPP has two important components relating to water and transportation sectors wherein more than Rs 1.5 lakh crore is required.
Interestingly, the discussion on funding the transport sector is facing hurdles as the bank has put forth conditions that it will fund the project only through CUMTA’s Urban Transport Fund, which has been created to ease the financial burden on the State and local governments to fund transport sector. However, for this, major changes in CUMTA, which was implemented in Chennai last year, are proposed, which include bringing it under the direct control of Chief Minister rather than under transport minister. A source told Express that World Bank is keen on funding the transport project wherein multiple stakeholders are involved.
This also comes as the final draft of Chennai’s Comprehensive Mobility Plan (CMP), a transport road map for Chennai till 2048, with a proposed investment plan of around 1.5 lakh crore ready. The CMP has drawn up the roadmap for Chennai for 2048, including transport investment programme containing short, medium and long-term projects. The plan has focused on mobility of people, and encouraging systems that maximise throughput of people.
The impact of proposals is believed to increase public transport mode share and reduce pollution when compared to business as usual scenario in 2048. Short-term proposals include footpaths, cycle tracks, junction improvements and electric buses. Under medium-term proposal are road over bridges, multi-modal transit hubs and bus terminals. Long-term proposal includes satellite town ring roads, truck terminals and bus-based transit system.