The Karnataka government on Friday tabled a Bill to provide for the constitution of the Bengaluru Metropolitan Land Transport Authority (BMLTA) for Urban Mobility Region in Bengaluru city by integrating functions of existing multiple civic agencies/departments into a proposed new authority for promoting seamless mobility through urban transport.
Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai tabled the Bengaluru Metropolitan Land Transport Authority Bill, 2022, in the Legislative Assembly for regulation of the development, operation, maintenance, monitoring, supervision of urban mobility within Bengaluru city.
The Bill said that urban mobility consisted of modes of transport ranging from walking and bicycle to urban freeways, metro and regional rail systems, intelligent transport system of all kinds and roadways and private vehicles in the Urban Mobility Region.
Multiple agencies
Currently, there are multiple institutions such as Bengaluru Development Authority, Bengaluru Metropolitan Region Development Authority, Bengaluru Traffic Police, Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation, Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike, Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation Limited and Transport Department which are responsible for planning, developing, implementing, and managing activities related to urban mobility in Bengaluru and its surrounding region. This is seen as causing overlap in responsibilities and functions, impeding planning and implementation of major transportation schemes, the Bill noted.
The Bill was drafted in tune with the National Transport Policy.
The Chief Minister will be the chairperson of BMLTA and it would include officials of various departments, representatives of professional bodies, academic institutions, civil society organisations, national highways and Indian Railways. In the absence of the chairperson, the Minister for Bengaluru Development will be the chairperson. The Commissioner of the Directorate of Urban Land Authority will be the chief executive officer.
Meetings each quarter
The Executive Committee of the Authority is headed by the Chief Secretary of the State and heads of various city agencies such as BMTC, BMRCL, BDA are its members. The executive committee should meet at least once in each quarter.
The Authority would review and approve the city mobility investment programme prepared in accordance with the comprehensive mobility plan. It would put in place frameworks, regulations, and mechanisms to establish an effective coordination mechanism, encompassing all strategic and operational matters among various urban transport agencies, infrastructure development agencies, and traffic management agencies in the Urban Mobility Region.
The Authority would plan a traffic management plan at least once a year The planning authority in the Urban Mobility Region would prepare the land use plan as part of preparation or revision of the master plan of the city.
Special fund
The Authority should establish a Bengaluru Metropolitan Land Transport Authority Fund for the purposes of implementation of provisions of the Act. The Authority may make grants, advances and loans to any agency engaged in dealing with Urban Mobility.
The Bill is likely to be passed in the next session of the State legislature.
