Latest news with #CityLogisticsPlan
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.
