Gujarat Sets Up Unified Metro Transport Authority For Ahmedabad And Surat To Streamline Urban Mobility

The Gujarat government has established a Unified Metropolitan Transport Authority (UMTA) for Ahmedabad and Surat, reported Times of India.

The initiative follows directives from the central government, which has encouraged states to set up dedicated bodies to ensure more planned and coordinated urban transport development.

The state’s Urban Development Department issued a government resolution (GR) notifying the formation of UMTA, stressing that urban transport systems are crucial to progressive development, daily functionality and economic growth.

The GR underlines that rapid urban expansion has increased the complexity of city planning, making seamless transport networks vital for sustainable growth.

Highlighting gaps in the earlier framework, the GR noted that the previous institutional framework lacked integration, creating a need for a unified mechanism.

The move aligns with the National Urban Transport Policy 2006, which recommends UMTAs for cities with populations exceeding one million, to ensure coordinated planning and management of urban transport and to eliminate overlapping efforts among multiple agencies.

Additionally, under the Metro Rail Policy 2017, states with operational or upcoming metro rail systems are required to establish UMTA to handle urban transit matters.

The newly formed UMTA, chaired by the Chief Secretary and comprising senior IAS and non-IAS officials, has been entrusted with a broad remit.

Its responsibilities include advising the government on urban transport matters, formulating and administering transport policies, strategies, standards and guidelines, and overseeing the integration of multi-modal transport systems in city master plans.

UMTA will also focus on preparing comprehensive mobility plans (CMP), resolving conflicts in transport proposals, managing an urban transport fund, and overseeing the Traffic Management and Information Control Centre (TMIC) and the National Public Transport Helpline (NPTH).

It will have the powers to recommend fares and charges and enforce transport regulations, ensuring holistic urban mobility solutions for both cities.

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