Citing cost, Chandigarh's no to paint cycle tracks red

Dushyant Singh Pundir

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 24

Citing high cost of the project, the UT Engineering Department has turned down the proposal of the traffic police for colouring the cycle tracks along all roads in the city so that these look different.

The traffic police had proposed that the black top of the non-motorised vehicle tracks needs to be changed so that it looks different as has been done in many other cities of the country.

“This is essential as the black top naturally attracts motor vehicles,” the traffic police had apprised the Standing Committee (Transport) of the Administrator’s Advisory Council during its previous meeting.

During a review meeting of the committee held yesterday, the UT Engineering Department stated that if the entire cycle track was to be painted with red colour, it would involve huge expenditure. To make it economical, the road marking has been done in red colour along with insignia of a cycle at a distance of approximately 50 metres to differentiate the cycle tracks from the main road. To encourage non-motorised mode of transport, the UT Administration has laid 210-km-long dedicated tracks for cycling in the city.

Meanwhile, the committee chairperson had stated that there was a need to operate last mile connectivity in the city and car pooling would be the best option in this regard. Battery-operated vehicles should be operated within the sectors for last mile connectively, it was suggested.

However, the member secretary apprised that a draft car pooling policy was prepared by the Transport Department but the same was not notified, as the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways is in the process of preparing the guidelines for the car pooling policy. The said policy of the ministry would be applicable to all states and UTs.

In the meeting, discussion on various subjects like making the roads of the City Beautiful free from animal-propelled carts, regulation of auto-rickshaws and making an inventory of the owners and drivers were held. On these issues, the committee apprised that the State Transport Authority has completed the process of regulating autos with Mohali and began the process with Panchkula.

It was also shared that as per the decision of the Government of India, the STA is registering only e-rickshaw/e-auto for promoting of e-vehicles in future. The issue regarding taxation and fee amongst the tricity was also discussed. Accordingly, the Haryana Government has exempted the State Road Tax (SRT) of CTU buses plying on local routes in the tricity area of Panchkula. However, the reply is still awaited from the Government of Punjab.

To improve the road connectivity between Panchkula and Chandigarh, it was shared that the work on improvement and widening of road for providing connectivity with an alternative road to Panchkula i.e. Junction 39 to the CTU Workshop and from the CTU Workshop upto Railway Road was under process of allotment.

CNG/LPG autos not being registered

To promote environment-friendly e-vehicles, the State Transport Authority has done away with registering CNG/LPG autos and only e-rickshaws or e-autos are being registered and promoted by it as per the Centre’s decision for promoting pollution-free vehicles. This was informed during a meeting of the Standing Committee on Transport.