Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)

Mangaluru, Jan 30: Executive director of Transit Design, Delhi, Sushil Verma, said that mass transit system plays a stellar role in transport-oriented development.

He was speaking at the national symposium on 'experiences abroad and in India on transport-oriented development - from designers angle' on Tuesday January 29. The symposium was organized under the aegis of Dakshina Kannada district administration and Nirmiti Kendra.

Verma noted that without transport hubs, metro rail system does not benefit the country. "In Delhi, unorganized development has taken place on acount of metro rail stations. Low cost residential projects that have mushroomed within one to two kilometers of metro rail stations are responsible for this situation. They have not resulted in any benefit for Delhi Metro Rail Corporation, Delhi city corporation and Delhi Development Authority," he added.

He acknowledged that price of fixed assets in Rohini, Dwarka, Gaziabad and Noida have gone up because of Delhi metro but the actual partners of the project have not reaped any benefit. "In case of major projects, partners who invest large sums of money should be able to get benefit. But in Delhi this has not happened," he said.

Commissioner of Mangaluru Urban Development Authority, Srikanth Rao, wanted people behind development projects to keep in mind development during the next two decades. He noted that the proposal for peripheral roads had been mooted in the city two decades back but so far it has not materialized. He feels that thought should be given to reducing traffic congestion in the city.

City corporation commissioner, Mohammed Nazeer, said that smart city project works have begun in the city, and the views expressed here would be kept in mind when executing these schemes.

Prof G R Rai, adviser of Shree Devei Engineering College, felt that increase in the number of vehicles in the city has contributed to increased traffic density.