ISLAMABAD, Nov 15 (APP): The experts at a dialogue on Tuesday stressed the need for a seamless and well-planned transportation system that could help provide the public affordable, accessible, environment and human friendly mobility.
The Dialogue on National Transport Policy 2018 and Implementation was organised here by Institute of Urbanism (IoU) in collaboration with the Heinrich Boll Stiftung (HbS) and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Secretariat here at the Parliament.
While chairing the dialogue in lie off Convener National SDGs Taskforce, Romina Khurshid Alam, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) on Youth Affairs, Shaza Fatima Khawaja said there was a structural issue in ensuring safer mobility amid gender quality in the federal capital which should be resolved through expert and innovative interventions of the concerned.
She suggested that the Capital Mass Transit Authority (CMTA) should hold a detailed assessment on the impact of mass transit Metro Bus facility to check decline in privately owned car users after increased ridership of public facility. The impact assessment of Metro Bus should also study women accessibility to the transport facility, she added.
The SAPM also sought the Capital Development Authority (CDA) officials to widely display the Metro Bus routes map across the Capital for massive public awareness.
She added that monitoring and evaluation of policy goals set under such initiatives should be done and also vowed to ensure expedited action on Capital Mass Transit Authority Bill 2021.
Senior Programme Fellow, IoU, Dr Ejaz Ahmad in his opening remarks briefed the chair and participants about the Institute and its endeavours so far.
He informed that there were many dialogues held previously in which the parliamentarians’ role and participation was imperative. He highlighted that the key thematic areas of focus of the Institute were redefining urban mobility, sustainable consumption patterns, eco-entrepreneurship and solid waste as a resource.
“The IoU have conducted different studies and surveys to research on public response on available transport systems and their demands. Lack of parking facilities and encroachment of green belts in the capital for converting them into parking lots has been a serious concern in the Capital.”
Programme Coordinator, IoU Ayesha Majid presented a detailed overview of National Transportation Policy 2018. She said the transport sector had a huge carbon footprint in Pakistan whereas the UN’s FAO study revealed 40% share of transport sector in air pollution in Punjab.
She said the policy provided a clear roadmap for the future of transport sector and also promoted other zero emissions form of mobility.
She told the forum that an IoU Survey in 2020 revealed that 97.7% in the Capital believed that air pollution was formed due to transport emissions, only 28.7% were satisfied with current transportation system and 81% of them believed that investment in public transport would improve mobility. The sample size of survey was 300 masses including 51% women and 49% men which was conducted at three entry points of the Capital namely G-15, PWD, and Bhara Kahu.
Member Punjab Assembly (MPA) Ramesh Singh Arora underscored that the regulations and laws enacted should consider public facility and convenience with substitutes being rolled out first for convenient enforcement and adoption of the new law.
He said that there was no proper planning to manage private entities operating in the transport and mobility sector whereas the National Transport Policy 2018 needed to be looked in an overall ambit for a holistic and all-inclusive implementation action.
Convener, National Taskforce on SDGs Romina Khurshid Alam joined via videolink.
Punjab Masstransit Authority (PMA), Manager Operations Technical (Rawalpindi), Shumaila Mohsin said there was a huge tug of war between the federal and provincial departments on the management of PMA as a centralized authority. She suggested that the building authorities like CDA and RDA used to give approvals to housing societies without the ascent of the transport department whereas there needed to be a linkage of transport authorities that could enable to ensure mobility and transport facilities in the desired area prior to the launch of housing projects.
Muhammad Qasim from CDA presented a detailed presentation on Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) and Integrated Transportation Network in Capital (Progress).
Chief National Transport Research Centre (NTRC), Hameed Akhtar said it was the first ever national transportation policy made since creation of country which was worked out by the NTRC and Ministry of Communications. He said the transportation system was fragmented in the country and the policy was envisioned under the goal to make the country a transit hub in the region.
“There is a cabinet transport committee chaired by Maritime Affairs Minister previously and can be used at present for implementation of the Policy.”
Urban mobility guidelines and road safety had been clearly defined in this policy, he added.
“Almost 36 million vehicles are registered in the country out of which 26 million (76%) are two and three wheelers which is a challenge to manage on roads. There are regional transport authorities that are working on old rules and laws that need moderation and amendment.”
National University of Science and Technology (NUST) Dr Kamran Ahmed said the policy covered all the aspects. The country, he said was interconnected through motorways whereas the next challenge would be the management of operations on it.
He demanded a proper planning for urban transportation as a must while sharing that ridership on Metro Bus was 130,000 individuals per day at the red line whereas 36,000-46,000 vehicles were plying per day on Kashmir Highway.