KTR exhorts public to use mass transport

• Says nearly 72% of people in Mumbai are using public transport, whereas in Hyderabad only 34 per cent are using

• Individual vehicle count has increased from 73 lakh vehicles to 1.2 crore in the last five years

• Parks and open places have become a place for illegal activities. Additional LED lights should be fixed

• Pay special interest in women safety. Problematic places should be identified and preventive measures taken

Hyderabad: "Hyderabad road works will be developed with high standards enabling safety for two-wheelers and pedestrians," said MA&UD Minister K Taraka Rama Rao in a meeting held with Police department and GHMC officials at Buddha Bhavan on Thursday. Electricity, TSIIC and Water Board officials were present at the meeting.

The Minister said, "People are using public transport in many cities. Nearly 72 per cent of people in Mumbai are using public transport, whereas in Hyderabad only 34 per cent of people are using. Individual vehicles count has been increased from 73 lakh vehicles to 1.2 crore in the last five years." Further, he said that transport department was working on bettering public transport so that maximum number of people use it.

Metro Rail, MMTS routes, stations, footpaths on highways, cycling paths, greenery and others were getting developed. There should be co-ordination among all the departments concerned, he added. He instructed officials to take permissions from empty landowners to use them as parking slots which would generate extra income to them. The open plots in layout could be used as public toilets, bus shelters and skywalks. He ordered zonal commissioners to start works on 709 kilometres of highways under CRMP from December 9.

He clarified that contractors should take complete responsibility to maintain those roads for five years. Pipelines, cables, drainage works, repair work and restoration work also should be carried out by CRMP agency.

Speaking on women safety, KTR said, "Officers should pay special interest in women safety. Problematic places should be identified and preventive measures taken. Awareness should be done to use toll-free number 100." He insisted that officials take action on people who take alcohol outside the permitted areas and to close such wine shops. The Minister further added, "Parks and open places have become a place for illegal activities. Additional LED lights should be fixed to stop them."

DGP Mahendar Reddy said that it would be very easy for people to travel after duty hours. Transport department was taking charge of road construction, management and traffic controlling in many developed countries. Many accidents were taking place because of bad roads. He requested government to sanction funds for traffic signalling also.

Mayor Bonthu Rammohan, MA&UD secretary Arvind Kumar, GHMC Commissioner DS Lokesh Kumar, Chief Engineers, Police Commissioners, Assistant Commissioners of Police, GHMC Additional Commissioners, Zonal Commissioners and others were present.