Com-plan for a growing city

It doesn’t take an expert’s eye to figure out that Lucknow is facing severe problems when it comes to the traffic and transportation system in the city.
Though a number of options have been tried in the past, none seem to have helped ease the traffic congestion on the city streets. But a new report submitted for developing a new and improved transport system in the city appears set to change all that.
Says VK Gupta, Chief Town & Country Planner, “A committee comprising the VC LDA, DM, SP Traffic, RTO, Railways and LNN has been formed under the chairmanship of the Divisional Commissioner, on whose recommendation the Deptt of Town and Country Planning of UP has devised a Traffic and Transportation Plan of Lucknow 2011.After conducting an extensive study, the city was divided into three zones. The major intersections were also studied along with the traffic survey before the new plan was formulated.“
In the new plan the projected population is placed at 32.40 lakhs with workers population expected to rise from the present 6.03 lakh to 8.89 lakhs in the year 2011.
Keeping these figures in mind, a number of recommendations have been made to evolve an effective system of transport and traffic management. As per the plan, a time variation would be introduced with respect to offices, schools and commercial areas and time restrictions would be strictly enforced with regard to stoppages of buses and other commercial vehicles within the city.
Besides, clearing up encroachments to free up space and create parking facilities steps to improve intersections and widening of the existing roads also figure in the master plan.
In third and the last phase new and alternative roads would be constructed and the number of ROBs, bridges and flyovers would also be constructed. Fruits, vegetable, grain mandis, saw mills, bus/truck terminals would also be shifted to peripheral areas.
By-pass, ring rail/LRT/and modes water transport would be introduced. Sure sounds interesting, but keeping in mind the fate of similar projects in the past, one can’t help but wonder. Lip service anyone?