Latest news with #CUMTA
New Indian Express
19 hours ago
- Business
- New Indian Express
MTC to replace 100 old small buses with new BSVI-compliant vehicles in Chennai
CHENNAI: With the private mini buses all set to start operations in Chennai from the second week of June, the Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTC) has decided to replace 100 existing small buses with new ones. The state-run transport body, which caters to Chennai and its suburban regions, will procure 100 BSVI-compliant mini buses at an estimated cost of Rs 34 crore. Tenders were floated recently. These new vehicles will ply on existing routes and are intended to improve last-mile connectivity from metro stations and other key locations. T PrabhuShankar, managing director of MTC, told TNIE the current fleet of small buses has been in use for 11 years. 'These buses will be replaced with new ones. At this stage, we are not planning to expand the small bus fleet,' he said. To further strengthen last-mile connectivity, a joint study is under way with the Chennai Unified Metropolitan Transport Authority (CUMTA). 'Based on the study's findings, we will explore the possibility of expanding small bus services wherever necessary,' he added. Currently, MTC operates 146 small buses in Chennai, including 56 that connect interior areas with metro rail stations. Of these, 22 buses function exclusively as feeder services for the metro. The remaining small buses serve as general public transport, particularly in areas that cannot accommodate larger buses. According to regulations, standard MTC buses require a minimum road width of 40 feet. To provide connectivity in interior areas with narrower roads (20 to 30 feet wide), small buses were introduced in the city in 2013. At present, small buses serve eight metro stations: Koyambedu, CMBT, Thirumangalam, Alandur, Chennai Airport, Wimco Nagar, Guindy, and Little Mount. MTC officials noted work is ongoing to develop new feeder routes for metro stations in high-demand areas. 'CUMTA's study will also identify feeder routes for all metro stations. This initiative will benefit both MTC and metro rail services,' they said. Meanwhile, private mini buses approved by the state transport department will operate in seven zones within Chennai, as well as the Avadi and Tambaram city corporations. The designated route lengths will range between 10 and 20 kilometres.
The Hindu
17-05-2025
- General
- The Hindu
WHO's road safety toolkit aligns with CUMTA's mobility plan, says Bicycle Mayor of Chennai
Institutions and municipal bodies seeking to promote non-motorised forms of transport with a girding of safety now have a guiding light — 'Make Walking and Cycling Safe', launched by the World Health Organisation at the Eighth United Nations Global Road Safety Week (May 12 to 18). Designed for policy makers, governments, civil society organisations, private sector, and other stakeholders in planning, implementing, and evaluating efforts in integrating walking and cycling into transport, health, environmental and education policies, the toolkit calls for bold action in promoting safe road use through public awareness and behaviour change campaigns. It features case studies to showcase real-world examples of how these policy options are being successfully put into practice. Felix John, Bicycle Mayor of Chennai, says the toolkit aligns perfectly with the 'Comprehensive Mobility Plan' being readied by Chennai Unified Metropolitan Transport Authority (CUMTA). 'By putting safety and accessibility in the forefront, it gives legitimacy to community efforts,' says John, an advocate for active mobility. The toolkit can guide CUMTA, CMDA, GCC, GTP to enforce safer speed limits, create calming infrastructure at school zones and protect cycling and walking infrastructure. 'While we have seen efforts by civil society organisations and the local body to promote non-motorised form of transport, there is always more credibility when WHO collaborates for this initiative,' says John. John says Chennai is one of the first states to launch the Non-Motorised Transport Policy, when it did so in 2014 with the help of ITDP. 'We have a policy but not much emphasis is being placed on implementation or adoption. Priority is being given to a vehicle-centric approach,' says John. John Felix's wish list includes creation of an 'Active Mobility Cell' for walking and cycling in Chennai. 'More community volunteers should be invited to be part of efforts to make the city safer for non-motorised transport,' adds John.
New Indian Express
13-05-2025
- Business
- New Indian Express
Chennai metro and MRTS merger in limbo as railways yet to give in-principle nod
CHENNAI: A long-anticipated merger of Chennai's Mass Rapid Transit System (MRTS) with the city's expanding metro network is in a limbo as the Indian Railways Board is yet to grant in-principle approval, according to senior officials at the Chennai Unified Metropolitan Transport Authority (CUMTA). CUMTA had hoped for a final decision by early 2025 as officials said the state has completed all preparatory work for the acquisition. 'The ball is in the court of Indian Railways,' a senior official told TNIE. Southern Railway officials refused to comment on the matter. CUMTA sources said that Southern Railway had earlier signalled the go ahead in May 2022 during a meeting chaired by the then chief secretary Irai Anbu, reviving a proposal that had languished since 2018 due to a protracted dispute over land acquisition for a new link between Beach and Park stations. The MRTS, a 15km elevated corridor treading through the city's central business district and extending to the IT hub along the eastern coastline, has long been regarded as an underutilised infrastructure. Despite a designed capacity to transport 4.25 lakh passengers daily, it currently struggles with poor maintenance, underwhelming ridership, and mounting financial losses. The system reportedly posted a deficit of Rs 84.1 crore before the merger talks, driven by low fare revenue and high operating costs, including over Rs 101 crore spent annually on operations, maintenance, and staffing. Revenues from ticket sales stood at just Rs 18 crore, according to CUMTA sources. The Phase-II extension of MRTS involves a roughly 5km extension which is expected to add three more stations to the present 18 stations, and improve connectivity with both Chennai Metro and the suburban rail system. As part of the proposed handover, the state government is set to acquire 150 electrical multiple unit (EMU) coaches, valued at a depreciated cost of around Rs 140 crore. An alternative arrangement under consideration involves a dry lease model, where the state would operate the network while Southern Railway retains ownership of the rolling stock, potentially easing the transition until new AC coaches are phased in.
The Hindu
10-05-2025
- Automotive
- The Hindu
CUMTA proposes revised freight vehicle parking policies to reduce congestion on Chennai roads
Revised freight vehicle parking policies, proposed by the Chennai Unified Metropolitan Transport Authority (CUMTA), could reduce on-street parking by 70-80%, freeing up space on city roads for public use. According to a press release, the proposal includes setting up designated parking zones and enforcing restrictions on long-duration freight parking on public roads. The draft City Logistics Plan (CLP), prepared by CUMTA, outlined 10 strategies to improve urban freight movement across the Chennai Metropolitan Area (CMA), including reducing light commercial vehicle (LCV) travel by 4,000 to 6,000 vehicle-km (unit representing the movement of a vehicle over one kilometre) daily, to ease congestion on major corridors like Rajiv Gandhi Salai and East Coast Road (ECR). This vehicle re-routing was projected to reduce congestion at key points by 25-40%, according to CUMTA. The release added that terminal upgrades and access-controlled roads at ports could cut waiting times by 60-75%. It further said parcels could be moved quickly using metro trains, helping cut travel time by 50% and reducing the number of light commercial vehicles on the roads. It added that shifting more freight to rail could take 500-700 trucks off city streets every day. The release also mentioned that better planning for delivering perishable goods, such as fruits, vegetables, and dairy, could save 12,000-15,000 vehicle-km daily by reducing unnecessary trips and optimising routes. It further said that emission levels may fall by 25-30% through the use of electric vehicles and green freight zones.
The Hindu
09-05-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
CUMTA explores methods to ease cargo movement
To quickly ferry air cargo and ease congestion, the Chennai Unified Metropolitan Transport Authority (CUMTA) is exploring ways to have a separate corridor from the Chennai airport. 'We have to discuss this plan in detail with the Airports Authority of India (AAI), and they [the AAI] should be able to shift cargo operations to the rear side of the airport. If that is agreed upon, this plan will greatly help in decongestion and smooth movement of cargo,' a CUMTA official said. As part of the recently held first meeting of the City Logistics Coordination Committee, under the Tamil Nadu State Logistics Policy, several plans were discussed to ease regional and urban cargo movement in the city. The CUMTA is currently preparing the City Logistics Plan, and looking at the possibility of transporting cargo through Chennai Metro trains during the late night hours. 'The Chennai Metro Rail Limited has agreed to shift e-commerce cargo through trains. But, we have to work out ways to handle the cargo without affecting the trains. They will also get non-fare box revenue through this initiative,' the official said. The CUMTA is simultaneously focusing on the movement of regional cargo [bulk ones to and from the port] and the urban cargo [smaller cargo], and looking at various solutions such as improving services and policy regulations. In the meeting, 30 strategic interventions were proposed to manage and optimise nearly 300 million tonnes of cargo handled annually in the Chennai Metropolitan Area, a release said. 'The solutions were focused on easing truck entry and exit from ports, establishment of new terminals for freight handling, modal shift from road to rail and introduction of specialised services, reducing greenhouse gases emissions by freight vehicles, and decongestion of roads through efficient freight vehicle routing and digital interventions,' the release added.
