Unified Transport Body for Mumbai
Prakash M Apte
Urban Development Consultant
This has reference to ‘No unified transport body, projects suffer' (TOI 14 Jan.). After 60 years of legislating and creating new Authorities, why do we still believe in them as the Panacea for all ills? When will it occur to us that the fault lies with the tardy or non implementation of plans, policies and programs and not with the structure of Authorities?
Why a unified Authority for Transport only? Why not for Housing ( SRA, MHADA, Shivashahi Punarvasan, Police housing corporation etc.), for Energy (REL. Tata, Best) for water resources and waste management (MCGM, MMRDA, Mithi river Authority)? If such single function super Authorities are to be created why have MMRDA ?
I quote from the BMRDA Act 1974, "...object of the Authority shall be to secure the development of the Bombay Metropolitan Region according to the Regional Plan...." Having prepared the regional plan, of which traffic and transportation forms a very important and integral part, and got it sanctioned by the state government, why is MMRDA not able to ensure that all transportation authorities work towards it? Why is it getting bogged down in implementing petty projects like skywalks, flyovers? Answer is simple. Planning and coordination does not bring glory or money! A new Authority means a Chairman., MD, office building, cars and one more organization at the command of the administrators and Politicians, large investments, appointment of Transport Consultants and the kickbacks!
Prakash M Apte
March 2008