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Delhi plans single transport authority to integrate Metro, buses and rail, says CM Rekha Gupta
The CM also linked the initiative to the government’s broader strategy to address congestion and air pollution in the Capital.
New Delhi : The Delhi government is in the process of drafting legislation to establish the Delhi Unified Metropolitan Transport Authority (DUMTA) for better coordination among different transport modes in the urban mobility sector, chief minister Rekha Gupta said on Friday.
Gupta said that Delhi’s transport agencies have historically functioned in silos, with limited coordination in route planning, infrastructure development and service delivery.
“DUMTA will bring cohesion to Delhi’s entire urban mobility system. By placing all modes of transport like Metro, buses, regional rail, railways and feeder services, within a single planning jurisdiction, we will ensure that mobility solutions are integrated, efficient and citizen-focused,” the CM said.
Officials said the move would restructure the Capital’s fragmented urban transport system and address longstanding issues of congestion and pollution. For this, the CM has constituted a high-level task force, under the chairmanship of the chief secretary, to draft the legislation.
Officials said the proposed legislation will also provide for the creation of a dedicated Delhi Urban Transport Fund (DUTF) to support long-term, integrated mobility planning.
The CM also linked the initiative to the government’s broader strategy to address congestion and air pollution in the Capital, where vehicular emissions remain a significant local source of pollution.
“Our government is working on short, medium and long-term solutions to address pollution, an issue that worsened over the years due to lack of structural reforms by previous governments,” she said.
Officials said the authority is expected to focus on strengthening public transport systems, improving last-mile connectivity and encouraging a shift away from private vehicle use.
Govt starts preparation for Census 2027 exercise
The Delhi government has started preparations for house-listing and housing-portion exercises under Phase 1 of the Census 2027 exercise, which will commence on April 1, officials said on Friday. The first phase will focus on creating an updated inventory of houses and households.The government has nominated 10 statistical officers to serve as master trainers for other officials who will be involved in the exercise.
“Nearly 50,000 to 60,000 officials will be involved in conducting Census in Delhi,” said an official. The much-delayed 16th Census will be completed in two phases by March 1, 2027. In the first phase, officials will record ownership status of the house, its use, condition, and predominant flooring and roofing materials.
The second phase, population enumeration, will commence on February 1, 2027, covering demographic, socio-economic and cultural details. As per the Census 2011, Delhi’s population was 16,787,941, comprising 8,987,326 males and 7,800,615 females.
(With inputs from Saloni Bhatia)
