Need to upgrade public transport in city: Bansal

Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs and Water Resources Pawan Kumar Bansal said there was a need to strengthen the public transport in the city to make it safe, efficient and comfortable so that people want to use it willingly.

Addressing a press conference today, Bansal said the increasing traffic was a cause of concern and some solutions need to be found. "The Metro would solve the problem to an extent. However, it would take atleast two years for work to start. The increase in registration fee could to an extent act as a deterrent. I do not agree with suggestions like allowing only even numbered cars on one day and odd numbered on others," he says.

Bansal adds, "Flyovers are the first signs of deterioration of a city. Especially in a city like Chandigarh it does not gel with the character of the city."

Making reference to the change in attitude of the Administration after the change in regime at the Raj Bhawan, Bansal said that the earlier approach of the Administration was contemptuous towards the Municipal Corporation. "The UT Administrator Shivraj Patil has been positive towards giving more powers to the civic body. The challenge with the corporation now is to prove themselves with respect to the departments that have been transferred. They should run the primary schools that have been transferred in such a manner that these become preferred choice of the people," says Bansal.

"The term of the Mayor which is one year is too short. However, it needs to be studied how the system of rotation would work if the term is increased," he says.

Mayoral elections

With the Mayoral elections scheduled on January 1, Congress councillors who are in the race for the post of the Mayor have their eyes on Pawan Bansal to take the final call. Bansal says that after the schedule is announced, an observor from the Centre would come to the city. A meeting would be held and then the name finalised.

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