Kolkata, Sep 22 (IANS) President Pratibha Patil Wednesday called for planning ahead for the future by focusing on the issues of urban management and governance to provide mass transport and transit system facilitating intra-city movement.

Referring to India's growing urban population, the president said that absence of mass transport and transit system results in city dwellers depending on private transportation. It is "leading to congestion, pollution and most fuel consumption", Patil said.

Laying the foundation stone of the Kolkata Metro extension project, Patil said: "In a city, a Metro system is an effective system of travel, giving the people a convenient, comfortable and an affordable mode of travel."

The president said the urban population across the world is increasing and according to assessments, the cities will be the dominant human habitats in the 21st century.

Turning to India's growing urban population, she said, "Between 1991 and 2001 there was an addition of 68 million to our urban population, marking a decadal growth rate of about 31 percent and taking the number of city dwellers to 286 million."

"Growing urbanisation calls for planning ahead for the future, by focusing on issues of urban management and urban governance. Moreover, as the population of cities grow, it is essential to have mass transport and transit systems that facilitate movement within the city."

The Metro extension project will link Joka in South 24-Parganas district with BDD Bag in the heart of the city via Majherhat. It will cover a total route length of 16.72 km and have 13 stations. The project will come up at a cost of Rs.2,619.02 crore.

The stone laying function was also attended by West Bengal Governor M.K. Narayanan, union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee and Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee and other ministers and dignitaries.