CUMTA proposes revised freight vehicle parking policies to reduce congestion on Chennai roads
Revised freight vehicle parking policies, proposed by the Chennai Unified Metropolitan Transport Authority (CUMTA), could reduce on-street parking by 70-80%, freeing up space on city roads for public use.
According to a press release, the proposal includes setting up designated parking zones and enforcing restrictions on long-duration freight parking on public roads.
The draft City Logistics Plan (CLP), prepared by CUMTA, outlined 10 strategies to improve urban freight movement across the Chennai Metropolitan Area (CMA), including reducing light commercial vehicle (LCV) travel by 4,000 to 6,000 vehicle-km (unit representing the movement of a vehicle over one kilometre) daily, to ease congestion on major corridors like Rajiv Gandhi Salai and East Coast Road (ECR).
This vehicle re-routing was projected to reduce congestion at key points by 25-40%, according to CUMTA.
The release added that terminal upgrades and access-controlled roads at ports could cut waiting times by 60-75%.
It further said parcels could be moved quickly using metro trains, helping cut travel time by 50% and reducing the number of light commercial vehicles on the roads. It added that shifting more freight to rail could take 500-700 trucks off city streets every day.
The release also mentioned that better planning for delivering perishable goods, such as fruits, vegetables, and dairy, could save 12,000-15,000 vehicle-km daily by reducing unnecessary trips and optimising routes.
It further said that emission levels may fall by 25-30% through the use of electric vehicles and green freight zones.
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Time of India
a day ago
- Time of India
Chennai set to get a 25-year Comprehensive Mobility Plan
Smart urban planning, with efficient mobility being a critical part, is not an option but a necessity. With that cognisance, the Chennai Unified Metropolitan Transport Authority ( CUMTA ) is devising a 25-year Comprehensive Mobility Plan for Chennai Metropolitan Area (5904 with the key aim of efficient, seamless public transport for citizens, which in the process will also decongest roads and improve road safety, especially for pedestrians. 'Urban roads are not unlimited. It's a limited source. So, our main idea is to promote public transport options and provide seamless connectivity even for the last mile. They carry more people per unit road space and energy consumed,' I Jeyakumar, IRTS, Member Secretary and CEO, CUMTA tells ETAuto. CUMTA is an authority under the Tamil Nadu government, chaired by the Chief Minister. It is a coordinating authority for all transport related departments/ agencies in the Chennai Metropolitan Area spanning 5904 sq km, including the districts of Chennai, Kancheepuram, Tiruvallur, Chengalpattu and Ranipet. The authority has a team consisting of technical experts hired from the private market and officers on deputation from various government departments for effective coordination. The team is led by a Member Secretary who is also the Chief Executive Officer of CUMTA. Mobility revamp As part of the CMP, CUMTA says 50,000 households were surveyed in this region to gain inputs for the masterplan. 'Basically, it's to understand the travel pattern, how people are actually moving, what modes they are using, which are the predominant modes, gaps in the system. We do a diagnostic analysis based on a lot of data and then we come up with the proposals,' says Poonam Sabikhi, Sr. Transport Planner, CUMTA. The survey data showed that 34 per cent of the population in the core city commute by two-wheelers, 7 per cent by cars, and another 7 per cent by cabs and auto-rickshaws. Jeyakumar argues that inadequate number of public transport buses is also leading to people choosing private vehicles, which, in turn, also contributes to traffic congestion and parking issues. Therefore, public transport, footpath and road infrastructure improvements are the topmost proposals of the CMP. Identifying where bus augmentation has to be done, priority lanes or dedicated lanes for buses, locations for terminal depots are some of the key goals. Explaining the larger goal, Sabikhi says 'We are looking at how we can have an integrated transport system. And all these systems like bus, metro or suburban trains, are still working in silos. We need to have an integration among them.' One key step to achieve the integration is a ticketing app which CUMTA is developing. Once ready, citizens can avail transport services across all three modes using a common QR code generated ticket. Double-deckers could also make an entry into Chennai's public transport landscape. The more space efficient mobility option is being proposed for at least a few routes. This would also help address the significant deficit between the demand and supply of buses in Chennai. CUMTA estimates that 6,500 - 7,000 buses are required in the city, whereas the current fleet strength is 3,300 buses (including the ones out of service temporarily). 'We are recommending (double-decker) for certain routes. The number of regular buses have to be increased first,' says Jeyakumar. In another significant move towards improving urban mobility, the Government of Tamil Nadu has approved the parking policy for the Chennai Metropolitan Area prepared by CUMTA . A key reform introduced in the parking policy is planning, management and implementation of parking under one agency. Another initiative under development is Smart Parking Management in Anna Nagar as a pilot project. For the implementation of Smart Parking, CUMTA is developing a common parking app for the fee collection, monitoring and enforcement. The entire system will be centrally monitored by the Parking Management Unit at CUMTA. Pedestrian-friendly spaces Beyond public transport, the CMP is also targeting improvement in pedestrian mobility, by identifying ways to improve the footpath network. 'We have identified the clusters, because that is also a huge network. So again, on a priority basis, it should be taken up first. The first objective is that all the transit stations, like bus terminals, Metro and suburban train stations should have accessibility by footpath,' says Sabikhi. Access to and from footpaths for wheelchair users is also being factored in in the proposals. And, for safer mobility, CUMTA says it is working on standardising processes for accident data. Granular data is critical to analyse trends, which in turn can help in devising ways to address the root causes of fatal accidents. 'Most accidents are written off as human errors. But if you don't know the causes of these fatal accidents from a vehicle or road infrastructure point of view, then how are you going to fix it? So, first we are working with the police to collect good quality road accident data. Based on the accident analysis, we can then understand the vehicle and infrastructure factors and advise the respective agencies to rectify designs or infrastructure through a scientific and data-driven approach,' says Ravishankar Rajaraman, Road Safety Expert at CUMTA. Given the scale of the mobility plan, and the different challenges in its execution, CUMTA plans to line up its targets in terms of 5-year periods. Now, the first phase for the CMP, after being cleared by its CEO, is to get the approvals from the Executive Committee (group of Secretaries and Headed by Chief Secretary), and then the final approval of the CM.
The Hindu
3 days ago
- The Hindu
CUMTA's ‘Smart Parking Management Plan' for Anna Nagar evokes mixed response in Chennai
During a public consultation session held in Chennai on June 14, 2025 at the Regional Deputy Commissioner's Office (Central) to introduce a pilot project that will help regulate parking across roughly 25 km of Anna Nagar's roads, the residents wondered how the plan would work considering the highly-commercialised nature of the locality. Chennai Unified Metropolitan Transport Authority (CUMTA) has conducted a study, according to which, over 60% of road space in some parts of Anna Nagar is encroached by way of haphazard parking, thus reducing the space for pedestrian and vehicular movement. Therefore, CUMTA, along with officials from the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) and Greater Chennai Traffic Police (GCTP), has planned to implement the 'Smart Parking Management Plan' on a pilot-basis in Anna Nagar from September. Project details As per the pilot project, around 2,000 parking slots are to be marked, with 70% on major roads such as the 2nd, 3rd, and 6th Avenues, and the rest on internal roads like the 11th to 13th Main Roads. An average of 5,000 vehicles are parked in a day in the area, including over 3,000 during peak hours. Parking will be prohibited within 20 metres of bus stops and within 100 metres of schools. Designated pick-up and drop-off bays will be created at key locations to ensure safe access for commuters. Parking charges will be set at ₹60 per hour for trucks, ₹40 for cars and ₹20 for two-wheelers. The parking revenue thus generated is likely to be used for local mobility improvements such as better footpaths and signage, according to CUMTA's plan. A team of 100 trained marshals will monitor enforcement in two shifts, each covering about 500 metres. Marshals will use body cameras and surveillance tools. Non-payment for over three hours will result in wheel clamping; after six hours, vehicles may be towed under the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988. Parking will not be allowed within 20 metres of bus stops or 100 metres of schools. Pick-up and drop-off bays will be marked. The plan will use camera-based management systems, mobile applications for digital payments, a centralised digital dashboard for real-time monitoring and trained parking marshals will be deployed on the ground for enforcement. 'Insights from the Anna Nagar pilot project will inform broader parking reforms across Chennai, supporting the city's vision for safer, more inclusive, and efficient streets,' a CUMTA official said. Public reaction At the meeting, residents, vendors, elected representatives and commercial stakeholders of Anna Nagar raised their concerns about enforcement of parking plans, street encroachments, relocation and the design of the upcoming plan. Sandhya, secretary of the Federation of Annanagar Residents Associations (FOARA), said the parking system outlined by officials looked thorough, but without strict enforcement, it might turn out ineffective. Issues such as encroachment of pavements and roads by parked vehicles, street vendors and stationing of heavy trucks along major avenues are rampant despite restrictions in place. 'If the current violations are not addressed first, how can a new system succeed?' she doubted. Sukumar, president of FOARA, suggested construction of a multi-level parking at Anna Nagar East bus stand (with a skywalk to Tower Park) near Thirumangalam Metro and at the Civil Supplies warehouse. Heavy vehicles should not be allowed to park on Anna Nagar 6th Avenue and the space should instead be used for two-wheelers and cars which ply more frequently, he urged He also objected to the designation of 5th Avenue and 15th Main Road as vending zones, stating that Anna Nagar is primarily a residential locality. To this, a vending committee member raised concerns about jobs. Ms. Sandhya responded that vending does not only entail selling fruits and veggies from carts — but also setting up of permanent stalls on pavements that may hinder pedestrian pathway. The public also sought better footpaths, removal of encroachments, management of street vending in residential areas and stricter building code enforcement. Public feedback will be considered, said CUMTA in a statement.
Time of India
7 days ago
- Time of India
100 traffic marshals to curb encroachments and double parking menace in Anna Nagar
Chennai: To bring order to Anna Nagar's chaotic streets, the state govt will deploy traffic marshals from Sept as part of a new Smart Parking Management Plan. The marshals — trained and authorised to fine and clamp vehicles — will patrol key stretches to curb rampant double parking, footpath encroachments, and unregulated roadside vending that have left pedestrians with little room to walk. The initiative is being led by Chennai Unified Metropolitan Transport Authority (Cumta), in coordination with Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) and Greater Chennai Traffic Police (GCTP). The marshals will be assigned roughly one per 500 metres, covering about 20 vehicles each, ensuring real-time enforcement of parking rules. "To ensure accountability, marshals will wear body cameras, and the entire zone will be monitored round-the-clock through 1,255 surveillance cameras," said I Jeyakumar, member secretary, Cumta. The idea was discussed during a public stakeholder consultation meeting for upcoming Smart Parking Management Plan in Anna Nagar, to be implemented from Sept. The parking plan is for 25km of road network mapped for on-street smart parking. On average, around 5,000 vehicles are parked daily in the area. "We will demarcate 2,000 parking slots – 70% on major roads (such as 2nd, 3rd and 6th Avenues) and rest on internal roads (such as 11th and 13th Main Roads). by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Giao dịch CFD với công nghệ và tốc độ tốt hơn IC Markets Đăng ký Undo The marshals will alert Cumta's command centre if they have an issue with any motorist. The traffic police personnel at the centre will contact the local police station and send assistance if needed," added Jeyakumar. N Adiyaman, councillor of ward 105, said some individuals in Anna Nagar had converted designated parking lots into commercial spaces and now park their vehicles on the road. "The enforcement mechanism needs to be strengthened, and fines must be increased. There also needs to be greater clarity on the overall parking policy. Once on-street parking is regulated, dedicated parking spaces must be created to accommodate residents' vehicles," he added. During the public consultation, several residents voiced concerns about the shrinking pedestrian space and increasing traffic congestion in Anna Nagar. "Vendors have taken over the pavements, making it difficult for pedestrians to walk. Many have also encroached on public space," said Sandhya Vedullapalli, secretary of Federation of Anna Nagar Residents Associations. Follow more information on Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad here . Get real-time live updates on rescue operations and check full list of passengers onboard AI 171 .
