Thursday, 10 August | PNS | DEHRADUN
In view of the increasing population, traffic congestion and proliferation of private vehicles, Dehradun is in dire need of a significant improvement in the public transportation system. When it comes to public transport, the main focus of the government is on roadways alone while the issue of urban transportation needs more holistic attention. These opinions were presented by experts in the Public Transport in Dehradun Roundtable Dialogue organised by Social Development for Communities (SDC) Foundation.
The founder of SDC Anoop Nautiyal said that Dehradun’s population has grown manifold since the State’s inception and by the year 2041, the city’s population is expected to reach 25 lakhs. Dehradun has been struggling with traffic problems and the lack of focus and accountability in developing a dedicated public urban transport system has only added to the problem. Various options ranging from metro system to neo metro to pod taxis have been discussed over the years but the lack of concrete initiatives has weakened the confidence of the people on these plans, added Nautiyal. The deputy general Manager (Civil) of Uttarakhand Metro Rail Corporation, Arun Kumar Bhatt also opined that most of the major roads in Dehradun have reached their saturation point, necessitating exploration of new options. He said that the Comprehensive Mobility Plan prepared for Dehradun in 2019 is serving as a roadmap for improving the city’s transport system in future.
He stated that the neo-metro system could be a significant solution for Dehradun and this project is currently under consideration by the central government. The noted Environmental expert Soumya Prasad also highlighted issues of inadequate public transport and high fares for the general public in Dehradun. She emphasised on the importance of developing reliable public transport with bus shelters and promoting e-vehicles besides addressing arbitrary practices in auto rickshaw and e-rickshaw services. The regional transport officer (Enforcement) Shailesh Tiwari, one of the experts on the panel, highlighted ongoing efforts of the transport department to improve the city’s current public transport system. He informed that there are nearly 10 lakh vehicles with a population of about 12 lakh in the city. He said that the city has an extensive transport network including about 170 city buses, 30 electric buses, 500 Tata Magic vehicles, 2,500 auto rickshaws and 4,500 e-rickshaws.
The department is also making plans for circular routes like Kuthalgate-Clement Town, Raipur-Jhajha and Ballupur-Kuwanwala for better transportation. The city requires approximately 350 buses with around 30 seats each for public transport. Until alternatives like the metro arrive in Dehradun, the existing system needs improvement, added Tiwari. The experts also said that skywalks or underground transport systems need to be developed here as most of the roads are up to 12 metres wide only. The needs of the growing population and tourists must be considered while making transportation-related plans. They said that the government also needs to emphasise on the urban transportation system as it mainly focuses on Roadways in the name of transportation.
