[sustran] UTTIPECs reaction to misinterpretation in HT Story on cycle tracks .

[Anvita Arora]

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Romi Roy <romionly at gmail.com>
Date: Sun, Dec 12, 2010 at 1:55 PM
Subject: Re: clarification on Mr K.K.Kapila's (Chairman IRF) quote
misinterpretation in HT Story on cycle tracks .
To: shivani.singh at hindustantimes.com, shivaniss62 at gmail.com
Cc: subhendu.ray at gmail.com, subhendu.ray at hindustantimes.com,
qadeeroy at gmail.com, Ashok Bhattacharjee <diruttipec at gmail.com>,
madhukishwar at csds.in, asthanaprabhakar at gmail.com, geetamt at gmail.com,
splcommtpt at nic.in, Nippo <nipesh.ar at gmail.com>, ud-spa-09 at googlegroups.com,
patwardhan.sujit at gmail.com, Rajendra Ravi <rajendra_ravi at idsindia.net>,
Anvita Arora <anvitaa at gmail.com>, Dinesh Mohan <dmohan at cbme.iitd.ernet.in>,
sujit at parisar.org, info at irfnet.org, info at irfnet.eu, info at irfnews.org, Madhu
Kishwar <editor at manushi-india.org>, sunita at cseindia.org,
subhendu.mukerjee at timesgroup.com, diruttipec at dda.org.in, Varinder Arora <
varinderkarora at gmail.com>


To Shivani Singh,

Metro Editor, Hindustan Times, New Delhi.

Date: 12 Dec 2010


Dear Ms. Singh:


Kindly refer the clarification email sent by Mr. Varinder K Arora (IRF) and
Mr Ashok Bhattacharjee (Dir UTTIPEC) below, regarding the gross
misrepresentation of facts and statements given to the concerned HT
Reporter, regarding the Dec 09 2010 article: Cycle tracks may be on the way
out<http://www.hindustantimes.com/Cycle-tracks-may-be-on-the-way-out/Article1-636148.aspx>


The HT Reporter's statement that UTTIPEC is planning to "replace" cycle
tracks on 30 m roads - *is a blatant lie.* No such statement has been made
by me, simply because no such decision has ever been taken in UTTIPEC! My
discussion with the Reporter took place in the office and presence of
Director UTTIPEC on 08 Dec 2010.

*If there is any other "senior officer of UTTIPEC" who has made such a
statement, the person must be named, so that he/she can be questioned
internally.*

As well known in the city now, UTTIPEC Guidelines have clearly indicated
that cycle tracks are Mandatory on all Arterial Roads of the city, esp.
those at or above 40 m in width. The policy for 30m roads is supposed to be
"*need based*" and* "not mandatory*" which means that cycle tracks may be
created on such roads as per need, and this decision of need is to be taken
by all stakeholders as part of UTTIPEC.

*On the contrary*, the article states that a "senior officer of UTTIPEC" has
stated that there is "*no need" for cycle tracks on roads that are 30 m wide
*, which is a blatant distortion and misrepresentation of facts.

The clarification and request for modification letter sent to Metro Editor,
Hindustan Times, Delhi by Director UTTIPEC is reproduced below for
everyone's reference.
-- 
Warm regards,
Romi Roy

Sr. Consultant, UTTIPEC DDA Delhi
Member, High Court Special Task Force on Transportation
Spl. Invitee, LAP Monitoring Committee, MCD Delhi
Member, Sub-Committee on Sustainable Habitat, MoUD
Honorary Advisor, Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board
http://www.linkedin.com/in/romiroy

"*Sustainable Urban Design can be the foundation for Social Justice*" -
Enrique Peñalosa


On Sun, Dec 12, 2010 at 12:15 PM, Varinder Arora
<varinderkarora at gmail.com>wrote:

>
>
> Dear Subhendu,
>
> This refers to your HT story "Cycle Tracks may be on the  way out"  dated
> November 9, 2010  where Mr K.K. Kapila's,(Chairman, International Road
> Federation)  statement has been misinterpreted .
>
> The HT reporter had called up saying that UTTIPEC is planning to propose to
> "replace" or make need based several  cycle tracks on 30 meter width roads,
>
> So any person would appreciate such a move and no where Mr Kapila has said
> that the  cycle tracks should be removed from anywhere .
>
> IRF has already taken up the cause for safety of  two wheeler and cyclists
> with Ministry of Road Transport and Highways as well as Ministry of
> Industries.
>
> IRF has also taken up a National project on safety for cyclists with help
> of bicycle manufacturers and  two wheelers. The trials for the project are
> on for last one month.
>
> IRF is the last body to appreciate removal of cycle tracks rather it has
> been promoting construction of more cycle tracks in the capital and other
> metro cities.
>
>
> With best regards
>
>
> Varinder K Arora
> PRO, IRF, India
> 09811153833
> varinderkarora at gmail.com
>


 ---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Ashok Bhattacharjee <diruttipec at gmail.com>
Date: Fri, Dec 10, 2010 at 9:13 PM
Subject: *Misreporting on UTTIPEC in HT Article: "Cycle tracks may be on the
way out - Subhendu Ray, Hindustan Times"*
To: shivani.singh at hindustantimes.com, shivaniss62 at gmail.com


To:

Ms. Shivani Singh,

Metro Editor, Hindustan Times, New Delhi.

Date: 10 Dec 2010



Kindly refer to the press article in your Newspaper dated 09 Dec 2010: Cycle
tracks may be on the way out - Subhendu Ray, Hindustan
Times<http://epaper.hindustantimes.com/PUBLICATIONS/HT/HD/2010/12/09/ArticleHtmls/Cycle-tracks-may-be-on-the-way-out-09122010009002.shtml?Mode=1>
 and
the following para concerning UTTIPEC:



“*We felt that there is no need for cycle tracks on roads that are 30 metres
wide. On narrow roads, the volume of traffic is heavy and its speed slow.
Separate cycle tracks on these stretches actually increase the chance of
accidents and lead to traffic congestion,” said a senior officer of UTTIPEC.
*

* *

*According to Paromita Roy, senior consultant, UTTIPEC, “We will place our
proposal before the governing body meeting on January 7; it will be
implemented after taking the consent of all stakeholders*.”




 Ms. Paromita Roy's reference to the Governing Body is not in reference to
the preceeding paragraph, as I am aware. In addition, *as apparent from your
article*, the quote given in the first para is by a different "senior
officer of UTTIPEC".


*I would request you to kindly inform me of the name of this other "senior
officer of UTTIPEC" who has given the anonymous quote, so I may discuss
matters with him/her directly.*


I am extremely concerned because the quote given by this anonymous officer
is totally *contradictory* to all the currently approved and publicly
available policies and guidelines of UTTIPEC. *No UTTIPEC official can give
a quote to the Press which is contradictory to policies approved by the
Governing Body of UTTIPEC taking all stakeholders into consideration **(
http://uttipec.nic.in/index2.asp?slid=162&sublinkid=60&langid=1).*

*In addition, I want to clarify that segregated cycle tracks can NEVER
increase chances of accidents. In fact, separating cycles/ slow moving
vehicles from motorized traffic (by providing separate tracks), actually
decreases congestion and also reduces accidents.*



Moreover, I would like to point out that the heading of the Article is
totally contrary/ against the National Urban Transport Policy under
which Street
Design Guidelines have been prepared by UTTIPEC in consultation with all
stakeholders and a team of Experts in Delhi. (
http://uttipec.nic.in/PedestrianGuidelines-30Nov09-UTTPEC-DDA.pdf). *The
UTTIPEC guidelines account for equitable distribution of road space for all
road users in the city, including cyclists and non-motorized vehicles, under
the framework of the National Urban Transport Policy, Government of India.
http://www.urbanindia.nic.in/policies/TransportPolicy.pdf*



In future you are requested to kindly get verification on any statement made
regarding UTTIPEC, from the office of Director UTTIPEC himself, before going
to Press, and also kindly  issue a corrective follow-up statement in your
Newspaper regarding the issue above, as we are facing a large number of
queries at our office regarding the misreported statement under UTTIPEC's
name.



With regards,



Ashok Bhattacharjee

Director (Plg.)/ Member Secretary, UTTIPEC.

2nd Floor, Vikas Minar, DDA, New Delhi.

Ph: 011 2337 9042

diruttipec at gmail.com



-- 
Anvita Arora, PhD
Transport Planner,
Resident Representative, Interface for Cycling Expertise (I-CE), Netherlands
CEO, Innovative Transport Solutions (iTrans) Pvt. Ltd., TBIU, IIT, Delhi
email: anvitaa at gmail.com