[sustran] District Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar gets India's first Non Motor Transport Government Society

[Asija, Navdeep]

*District Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar gets India’s first Non Motor Transport
Society*.

Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar, a district with many distinctions has got one
more reason to celebrate for being the first of its kind in the country.
This time it is not for being the best administered district of Punjab with
all top officials as female or where male-female sex ratio (1000: 913) is
second highest among all the districts of Punjab but this time for
Institutionalizing the priority for vulnerable road users like cyclist,
pedestrians, cycle rickshaw and other forms of Non motor transport. Today
district administration of SBS Nagar constituted “Non Motor Transport
Society” under the chairpersonship of the Deputy Commissioner with
executive members like Executive Officers of all Municipal Councils of SBS
District, Leading Bank Managers, Senior Police Officers, Public Works
Department and experts for the non motor transport.

Non motor transport is a State Subject but, as a matter of fact the same
very important mode of transportations is being taken care by multiple
agencies, varying from Local bodies to Animal Husbandry.  No one owns the
direct responsibility for Non Motor Transport and as a result, the
equitable allocation of road space for non motor vs. motor transport is
very biased towards motor transport. The society has been formed on the
principles suggested in two important statutes, namely, *Street Vendors
(Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Bill, 2012*,
and upcoming *Non-motorized Vehicles & Pliers (Promotion, Regulation,
Welfare and Conditions of service) Act, 2013*.

“*Each town and city of our country is facing urban mobility crisis, and
priority for motor transport car centric development solution making it
further worse for future generations. It is high time for the
administration to act now, in order to achieve futuristic sustainable
transport solution*” said Ms. Anindita Mitra, Deputy Commissioner and
Chairperson of Non Motor Transport Society, Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar. In
the year 2012, 205 people died and 100 found seriously injured due to road
accident in SBS Nagar District, which include large number of pedestrians
and cyclists. “*Repect for pedestrian and cyclists and more sidewalks are
the symbol of any good democratic setup to tell people how much we respect
our common man, who walks on the road for their bread and butter need.  Our
move is a step forward towards the same mission*”, she added.  During her
last posting as Additional Deputy Commissioner (Development) Patiala, she
initiated the process of Training of 115 GreenCABS cycle rickshaw operators
as Tourist Guides followed by free distribution of 288 cycle rickshaw
trolleys from welfare funds.

At present more than 2500 cycle rickshaw operators are operational in SBS
Nagar district. This provides a source of livelihood of more than 13,500
urban poor. The Society will have a strong support for the promotion of
cycle rickshaw as an eco friendly mode of para transit for urban and rural
areas given the directives issued by the Punjab and Haryana High Court
related to implementation of Ecocabs in the state. As a primary function,
the Society would work improve operational efficiency of Public transport
system and support the livelihood people associated directly or indirectly
with Non Motor Transport operations and other modes of Para transit Public
transport. Society will also take care about the maintenance of footpaths
and cycle tracks for safe pedestrian movement, along with promotion of
cycle rickshaws and Ecocabs mainly in urban areas of district.

Apart from ex-officio members, the key external members have been taken on
board - Mr Ravee Ahluwalia, from Patiala GreenCABS and Mr Navdeep Asija,
founder Ecocabs. Both will advise the administration regarding the
different activities related to Non Motor Transport, designs of footpaths,
cycle tracks and sidewalks. This is a welcoming step and will set an
example for the rest of district administration in order to
institutionalize the process of recognizing importance of Non Motor
Transport.


http://nawanshahr.nic.in/