Latest news with #FifthReport

Business Standard

RRTS needed in more cities for mobility, quality of life: Parl committee

The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Housing and Urban Affairs released a report on Tuesday recommending the expansion of modern transport systems such as the Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) to more metro cities to ease congestion and promote sustainable development. Noting the growing population pressures on cities such as Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Hyderabad and Bengaluru, the report cited 'insufficient infrastructure, congestion and pollution' as major challenges. It stated: 'There is a need to plan these cities in the regional context to promote balanced and harmonised development and make them sustainable.' The committee, chaired by Lok Sabha member Magunta Sreenivasulu Reddy, made the observation in its Fifth Report (2024–25), presented during the 18th Lok Sabha. It examined the role of the National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC) and the relevance of the RRTS in the context of urban growth and regional connectivity. The committee recommended extending similar models to other metropolitan areas beyond the NCR. The report said that the goal of building a 'Viksit Bharat' by 2047 is closely tied to how efficiently people and goods can move across urban and regional spaces. In this context, it endorsed the RRTS as a 'modern transportation solution' that can connect suburban areas with major urban centres. Such connectivity, the committee stated, would allow people to reside in more affordable and less congested zones while still being able to access quality education, healthcare, employment and other facilities. 'Modern transportation solution like the RRTS is the need of the hour so as to enable people to live in sub-urban areas adjoining these big cities... thus increasing their productivity and ensure their social and mental well-being,' the report stated. Slow-moving cities The report comes at a time when multiple Indian cities are facing rising strain on public infrastructure, with urban mobility emerging as a key factor in sustainable city planning. According to the TomTom traffic index released earlier this year, Kolkata emerged as India's most congested city in 2024. Drivers there spent an average of 34 minutes 33 seconds covering 10 km — 10 seconds slower than the previous year — with an average speed of just 17.4 km/h. Bengaluru was a close second, taking 34 minutes 10 seconds for the same distance, with a marginally higher speed of 17.6 km/h. The two cities were followed by Pune, Hyderabad, Chennai and Mumbai as the most congested. Kolkata was also second globally in congestion, only behind Barranquilla in Colombia. The report highlighted worsening urban traffic in India, with 76 per cent of the 500 surveyed cities experiencing slower travel times in 2024 compared to 2023.