&w=3840&q=100)
RRTS needed in more cities for mobility, quality of life: Parl committee
Noting the growing population pressures on cities such as Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Hyderabad and Bengaluru, the report cited 'insufficient infrastructure, congestion and pollution' as major challenges. It stated: 'There is a need to plan these cities in the regional context to promote balanced and harmonised development and make them sustainable.'
The committee, chaired by Lok Sabha member Magunta Sreenivasulu Reddy, made the observation in its Fifth Report (2024–25), presented during the 18th Lok Sabha. It examined the role of the National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC) and the relevance of the RRTS in the context of urban growth and regional connectivity. The committee recommended extending similar models to other metropolitan areas beyond the NCR.
The report said that the goal of building a 'Viksit Bharat' by 2047 is closely tied to how efficiently people and goods can move across urban and regional spaces. In this context, it endorsed the RRTS as a 'modern transportation solution' that can connect suburban areas with major urban centres.
Such connectivity, the committee stated, would allow people to reside in more affordable and less congested zones while still being able to access quality education, healthcare, employment and other facilities. 'Modern transportation solution like the RRTS is the need of the hour so as to enable people to live in sub-urban areas adjoining these big cities... thus increasing their productivity and ensure their social and mental well-being,' the report stated.
Slow-moving cities
The report comes at a time when multiple Indian cities are facing rising strain on public infrastructure, with urban mobility emerging as a key factor in sustainable city planning.
According to the TomTom traffic index released earlier this year, Kolkata emerged as India's most congested city in 2024. Drivers there spent an average of 34 minutes 33 seconds covering 10 km — 10 seconds slower than the previous year — with an average speed of just 17.4 km/h. Bengaluru was a close second, taking 34 minutes 10 seconds for the same distance, with a marginally higher speed of 17.6 km/h. The two cities were followed by Pune, Hyderabad, Chennai and Mumbai as the most congested.
Kolkata was also second globally in congestion, only behind Barranquilla in Colombia. The report highlighted worsening urban traffic in India, with 76 per cent of the 500 surveyed cities experiencing slower travel times in 2024 compared to 2023.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Mint
20 minutes ago
- Mint
Current agri loans over ₹28 lakh crore, but no waiver plan: Govt
The Centre has informed that agricultural loans worth over ₹ 28.5 lakh crore are outstanding but ruled out any plans for a waiver, minister of state in the ministry of finance Pankaj Chaudhary said in response to a question in Lok Sabha on Monday. Responding to Parliamentary questions by Lok Sabha MPs Supriya Sule (Nationalist Congress Party – Sharadchandra Pawar, Maharashtra), Hanuman Beniwal (Rashtriya Loktantrik Party, Rajasthan) and others, the Ministry of Finance informed Monday that outstanding agricultural loans stood at ₹ 28,50,779.43 crore as of March 31, 2025. These are due from 1,762.96 lakh accounts. 'No proposal to waive off the outstanding agricultural loans, is under consideration with Union Government,' the government said. Meanwhile, it is important to note that farmer loans are different from other categories of lending such as personal loans but lately the stance of cooperative banks to insist on credit score for approval of loans has rattled farmers no end. Read this Livemint for details on this. However, it added that several measures have been taken 'to provide relief and to improve the economic conditions of the farmers which inter-alia includes timely and adequate credit through Kisan Credit Card (KCC) under which crop loan up to ₹ 3 lakh is provided at subsidized interest rates under the Modified Interest Subvention Scheme (MISS) with additional incentives for timely repayment, fixation of progressively increased agricultural credit target, issuance of revised Priority Sector Lending guidelines to ensure improved credit flow to the agricultural sector etc.' The top five states in terms of outstanding agricultural loans are Tamil Nadu: ₹ 4,03,367 crore; Andhra Pradesh: ₹ 3,08,716 crore; Maharashtra: ₹ 2,60,799 crore; Uttar Pradesh: ₹ 2,28,560 crore; Karnataka: ₹ 2,22,301 crore. State Loans ( ₹ crore) Rajasthan 1,87,322 MP 1,62,385 Kerala 1,52,198 Telangana 1,44,346 Gujarat 1,44,330 Punjab 1,04,353 (Source: Other states with dues in excess of ₹ 1 lakh crore are Rajasthan: ₹ 1,87,322 crore; Madhya Pradesh: ₹ 1,62,385 crore; Kerala: ₹ 1,52,198 crore; Telangana: ₹ 1,44,346 crore; Gujarat: ₹ 1,44,330 crore; Punjab: ₹ 1,04,353 crore. Apart from Sule and Beniwal, the questions were put up by NCP-SP MPs from Maharashtra: Bhaskar Murlidhar Bhagare, Nilesh Dnyandev Lanke, Mohite Patil Dhairyasheel Rajsinh, Dr Amol Ramsing Kolhe, and Bajrang Manohar Sonwane, Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackrey) MP from Maharashtra Sanjay Dina Patil, and Congress MP, Prof Varsha Eknath Gaikwad, also from Maharashtra. The MPs had also asked 'whether there is any correlation found between outstanding agricultural loans and incidence of farmer suicides in states like Maharashtra and if so, the data available with the Government on such cases during the last five years.' The government said that the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) publication 'Accidental Deaths and Suicides in India' is available till the year 2022 but that it does not specify separate reasons for farmer suicides. The MPs had also asked 'whether any specific categories of farmers marginal, small, tenant, SC/ST are more burdened with outstanding loans and if so, the details thereof' to which the government said that 'NABARD All India Rural Financial Inclusion Survey (NAFIS) for the period of 2021-2022 indicates a generally positive relationship between landholding size and household indebtedness, with the proportion of indebted households increasing as land size increases, up to 1 hectare. Beyond this threshold, a marginal decline in the incidence of indebtedness is observed among households with larger landholdings.' Disclaimer: Mint has a tie-up with fintechs for providing credit, you will need to share your information if you apply. These tie-ups do not influence our editorial content. This article only intends to educate and spread awareness about credit needs like loans, credit cards and credit score. Mint does not promote or encourage taking credit as it comes with a set of risks such as high interest rates, hidden charges, etc. We advise investors to discuss with certified experts before taking any credit.
Scroll.in
23 minutes ago
- Scroll.in
India to resume tourist visas for Chinese citizens after five years
India will resume issuing tourist visas to Chinese nationals after a five-year gap, starting July 24, Reuters quoted the Indian embassy in Beijing as saying on Wednesday. Chinese state-run news outlet Global Times shared a post made by the Indian Embassy in China on Weibo that outlines guidelines for Chinese nationals seeking to apply for a tourist visa. The Embassy of India in China announced via its Sina Weibo account on Wednesday that, starting from July 24, 2025, Chinese citizens can apply for a tourist visa to visit India after completing an online application, scheduling an appointment, and personally submitting their… — Global Times (@globaltimesnews) July 23, 2025 In February 2020, India had suspended all tourist visas in view of the coronavirus pandemic. China had also suspended visas to Indian citizens and other foreigners during the pandemic, but these restrictions were lifted in 2022 for students and business travellers. In June 2020, border tensions between India and China escalated when a violent face-off between Indian and Chinese soldiers took place in Ladakh's Galwan Valley along the Line of Actual Control. It led to the death of 20 Indian soldiers. Beijing said that the clash left four of its soldiers dead. In response, India imposed several restrictions on China including banning hundreds of popular Chinese apps and suspending passenger routes, Reuters reported. While China allowed students and business travellers in 2022, Indians were not allowed to apply for tourist visas until March this year, when both countries announced that they would resume direct air services, Reuters reported. Since the Galwan clashes, China and India have held several rounds of military and diplomatic talks to resolve their border standoff. In October, the two countries announced that they had reached a patrolling arrangement along the Line of Actual Control, 'leading to the disengagement' of the two militaries in eastern Ladakh. The agreement came two days before Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping held a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the BRICS summit in Kazan. This was the first formal meeting of the two leaders since the military standoff began in mid-2020. In January, the two countries agreed to resume the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra this summer, restore direct flights and ease visa restrictions after Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri met Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Sun Weidong in Beijing. In July, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankart said during a meeting with Chinese Vice President Han Zheng that relations between both countries were ' steadily improving ' and called for the continued normalisation of the bilateral ties.
Time of India
23 minutes ago
- Time of India
Anti-doping amendment bill tabled in Lok Sabha by Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya
Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya introduced the National Anti-Doping (Amendment) Bill, 2025, in the Lok Sabha, aiming to grant greater operational independence to NADA, as mandated by WADA. The bill retains the National Board for Anti-Doping in Sports but removes its jurisdiction over the NADA appeals panel. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Wednesday tabled the National Anti-Doping (Amendment) Bill in the Lok Sabha, providing greater " operational independence " to the country's Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) as prescribed by WADA The contentious National Board for Anti-Doping in Sports has been retained but it would no longer have the NADA appeals panel under its jurisdiction as was the case in the original act passed in act could not be implemented as WADA (World Anti-Doping Agency) objected to "government interference" in the NADA's functioning."The National Anti-Doping (Amendment) Bill, 2025, seeks to enhance institutional and operational independence of the National Anti-Doping Appeal Panel and the National Anti-Doping Agency to ensure autonomy in their decisions pertaining to operations, investigations and enforcement activities," stated the bill's Board was previously empowered to constitute the appeal panel and "oversee the activities" of NADA. This provision has been done away with in the amended bill which asserts NADA's autonomy."The Director General or any other staff member of the Agency shall have operational independence from any National Sports Federation, International Federation, National Olympic Committee, National Paralympic Committee or any Government department or agency with responsibility for sport or anti-doping," the amended bill states.A day before the bill's introduction, a sports ministry source had told PTI that amendments were necessary to ensure that India does not end up being suspended by WADA."If we had implemented the 2022 act, it would have invited a ban from WADA. Our lab would have been derecognised. So, the changes were necessary," the source had said.
