CHENNAI: The organisational structure of Chennai Unified Metropolitan Transport Authority is being worked out and various options, including a two-tier governing board, are being considered by Deloitte, the consultant engaged by the World Bank to flesh out a viable structure after conducting meetings with various stakeholders, according to official sources.
Sources told Express that the work is still going on in preparing the organisational structure of CUMTA, which is yet to conduct its first meeting after it was notified in January 2019. It is learnt that the governing board will be headed by the Chief Minister, who will be the chairman of the board, with housing and urban development minister being the vice-chairman. The other members would include Transport minister, chief secretary and finance secretary. Similarly, the executive board could be chaired by the Chief secretary and would include 13 members.
These could include Housing secretary, CMDA vice-chairman, CMDA member secretary, Transport secretary, managing director of Metropolitan Transport Corporation, Highways secretary, general manager, southern railway, Divisional Railway Manager, Southern Railway, Home secretary, transport commissioner, Greater Chennai, Commissioner of Police, Municipal Administration and Water Supply secretary, Greater Chennai Corporation Commissioner, Managing director Chennai Metro Rail and an eminent transport expert appointed by the government.
There is also a second option where the governing board will be chaired by the CM with state Housing minister as vice-chairman with transport minister, chief secretary, finance, housing, home and housing secretaries as its members. The executive board will be headed by the Housing secretary and will have nine members.
Sources said the governing board duties are also being worked out. It is learnt that the governing board will approve all plans, schemes prepared by the executive committee and would take policy and planning level decisions. The governing body will recommend multi-year transport investment as well as monitor and supervise work of the executive board. The executive board is likely to manage transport funds, promote technology based solutions for transport, implementation of comprehensive mobility plan (CMP) for Chennai Metropolitan Area, a transport roadmap for Chennai till 2048, with a proposed investment plan of around 1.5 lakh crore.
However, the key to implementation of CUMTA is who will be the chief executive officer. Initially, as per the act, the chief planner was supposed to be the member secretary or Chief executive officer of CUMTA. However, now the post is being questioned as such the consultant is also looking at other aspects. It is learnt that the consultant is looking at three aspects. One is to go ahead with existing arrangements as per the CUMTA act, second is to have a rank of principal secretary or additional chief secretary as the chief executive officer as he will wield influence and be acceptable to urban stakeholders.
The third option suggested is to have a distinguished administrator hired from the open market with recognition among local stakeholders. It is suggested that the expert could have subject matter exercise and experience with leading similar organisations. Sources indicated that the government may consider a bureaucrat but any changes to the act requires an amendment as such this could delay the first meeting of CUMTA.
Eight years after it received the Governor’s assent and was published in the gazette, the Chennai Unified Metropolitan Transport Authority (CUMTA) Act and its relevant rules was notified in 2019. The first meeting was scheduled to discuss the requirement of a separate office for the functioning of CUMTA as well as appointment of minimum staff in order to start the base work to form a full-fledged office in respect of technical, financial and administration staff could not be held in 2019.
Currently, a staggering 10 different agencies are involved in traffic and transportation management in the Chennai Metropolitan area. These agencies are governed by various ministries and departments. CUMTA would be a single body to monitor the implementation of various traffic and transportation measures besides implementation of traffic and transportation infrastructure in the Chennai Metropolitan Area.