CUMTA to be independent, State government to expedite formation

CHENNAI: The Chennai Unified Metropolitan Transport Authority (CUMTA) will become an independent body as the State government is expediting the formation, which is a pre-requisite for availing assistance under the Chennai City Partnership from the World Bank.

“A separate IAS officer will be appointed as the member-secretary of the CUMTA to lead. The government has decided to provide a separate team and office also so that the Authority will function as an independent body. Organisational structure is being prepared,” a Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA) official said.

Presently, CUMTA is under the CMDA but the body, which was constituted to plan and coordinate transit-oriented projects is not fully functional despite a chief planner of the planning authority appointed as its nodal officer. However, the World Bank mandated a functional CUMTA to release the fund. CUMTA will also promote non-motorised transportation.

CUMTA will have officials from Chennai Corporation, Highways Department, Transport Department, Southern Railway, Chennai Metro Rail Limited, and others as members who will coordinate projects in Chennai Metropolitan Area. They’ve been appointed on a deputation basis.

The government has issued an order appointing the Chief Minister as the chairman of CUMTA. Recently, the by-laws of the CUMTA were modified.

Meanwhile, the State Housing and Urban Development Department, a few days ago, announced the revival of CUMTA under the Chennai City Partnership initiative. The government also allocated Rs. 9.5 crore for reviving it.

Once made functional, CUMTA will be the nodal agency for the implementation of transportation projects. Any road projects or procurement of buses or extension of railway lines would have to be discussed and approved by CUMTA.

Presently, there is no such coordination and streamlining of activities among the line departments, resulting in disoriented implementation in many cases.

The CUMTA Act was passed in 2010 during the DMK regime.