Where Delhi fails, Gujarat succeeds: Modi

The state government has decided to form a new comprehensive body - Multimodal Affordable Transportation Authority (MATA) - for integrated coordination of different modes of urban transportation to achieve synchronisation and avoid duplication of effort.

Chief Minister Narendra Modi announced this after inaugurating the Asia BRTS (Bus Rapid Transit System) Conference here on Thursday.

He said the success of BRTS in Gujarat was noticed only after the failure of the transport system in Delhi came to light. "Where Delhi fails, Gujarat succeeds," he said making a tongue-in-cheek observation.

Modi lamented at being questioned for spending heavily on facilities meant for the poor. He said every scheme like BRTS, Jyotigram and 108 ambulance reflected the government concern for the poor.

He said growing number of vehicles and population increasing at a rapid pace coupled with fuel crisis posed a big challenge of ensuring a well integrated and holistic approach to urban management and urban transportation, the alternative to which could be chaos. No piecemeal approach will do in this, he warned.

The CM said his government would launch a ferry service for people and luggage using the sea route between Dahej and Ghogha. He also announced use of the Narmada canal for ferry service and launch of metro rail projects for Ahmedabad, Vadodara and Surat with resource pool.

I P Gautam, principal secretary (urban development), said the next dots on the state's BRT map would be Surat and Rajkot.

BRTS meet: 'Innovation' takes centrestage on Day I

When buses pull up to Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) platforms in Guangzhou, China, a plank slides out from under the door like a computer's CD drive and closes the gap between bus and platform. After passengers have gotten off and on, the doors close, the plank slides back in and the bus moves on.

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