India eyes 'Integrated Transport Planning Agency' akin to UK, US

08 Apr 2024 CW Team

India is considering the establishment of an umbrella agency aimed at formulating integrated transportation plans and steering the overall strategy across all modes of surface transport, railways, shipping, and civil aviation at the national level. The agency would assume responsibility for the development and finalisation of 5-year and 25-year plans, as well as their regular monitoring.

Three empowered groups of secretaries have highlighted the necessity of establishing an Integrated Transport Planning Agency (ITPA) in their presentations on transformative changes made before Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The agency is envisioned to be similar to institutions in the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, Australia, and Japan, which handle all transportation-related issues.

The specifics of the proposed agency and its duties are currently being finalised. An official stated, "This will facilitate making informed decisions for building the appropriate infrastructure while considering value for money. The agency will conduct a comprehensive assessment to enhance capacity for both passenger and freight movement. This will aid in directing government investment."

Additionally, the agency will collaborate with states on key infrastructure projects. Officials emphasized that ITPA could offer optimal solutions to reduce logistics costs, rather than having various departments or ministries propose competing suggestions. Although the GatiShakti platform for integrated planning is gaining momentum, its current application is mostly limited to central government projects.

According to the proposal, ITPA aims to draft an overall plan for integrated transportation solutions and obtain approval by March 2026.

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