Chief secretary to head UMTA
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At a special session organised by the Kochi corporation on the formation of the Unified Metropolitan Transport Authority (UMTA), T. Elangovan, senior scientist of National Transportation Planning and Research Centre (NATPAC) chalked out detailed guidelines for constituting the authority in Kochi.
During the session, the expert deliberated on the concept, structure, objectives, area of jurisdiction and other details of the authority.
Various stakeholders and representatives of other urban bodies put forward suggestions and recommendations.
While explaining the objectives of UMTA, Mr Elangovan said that the authority would act as an apex decision making body for urban transport related issues.
Decisions taken by UMTA regarding priorities of schemes, fund-raising, distribution and management should be considered as final. The authority would essentially be a recommendatory and coordinating body, not an implementing agency.
Before constituting the authority, the area under its ambit should be notified, whether it was Greater Cochin area of the corporation, the neighbouring panchayats and municipalities or a wider area.
The authority will have the chief secretary as its chairman and principal secretaries of all relevant departments and representatives of other stakeholders as members.
Once the authority is in place, it will initiate steps for a common ticketing and feeder services and develop multi-modal transport facilities, interchange points and parking facilities.
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