Delhi keen on better transport system
By Our Infrastructure Bureau | 18 Jan 2002
New Delhi: Delhi Chief Minister Shiela
Dikshit has said that given the infrastructural constraints
that Delhi is facing, the development of an efficient
public transport system will be the key to solving the
citys transport and pollution problems.
Dikshit
was the chief guest at a seminar and panel discussion
on Alternative Energy Driven Vehicles on the occasion
of the 6th Auto Expo 2002, organised jointly
by the Confederation of Indian Industry, the Automotive
Component Manufacturers Association of India and the Society
of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) here.
"The automobile industry in India will have a significant
role in the development of such a state-of-the-art public
transport system," she said. About the issue of an
alternative fuel to petrol and diesel, she said the fuel
should be environment-friendly, safe and abundantly available.
"The economic utilisation of all available fuel alternatives
is of utmost importance."
Non-conventional Energy Sources (State) Minister M Kannappan
in his address said: "Since the transport sector
is the largest single consumer of oil, the promotion of
alternative energy-driven vehicles is imperative not only
for the conservation of environment but also for a reduction
in the countrys crude oil imports."
Elucidating the steps taken by the government to promote
alternative fuels, he said his ministry has set up a broad-based
R&D programme for the development of alternative fuel-driven
vehicles. "Electricity, hydrogen and fuel cell are
some of the alternative fuels that the government is considering."
"The constraints of battery-powered vehicles are
the high costs involved and their limited range. The government
is making efforts to overcome these constraints at their
research centres. India can also learn from countries
like Japan that are already using these technologies for
a wide number of applications. The Indian auto industry
should launch programmes for market development and a
wider acceptance of alternative energy-driven vehicles
in India. It should also work in tandem with the government
to make India a world leader in this area," he said.
Heavy industries and public enterprises secretary Ravindra
Gupta said that in addition to the development of an alternative
fuel there is also a need to address the issue of the
rapid increase in the number of vehicles plying on the
roads of Delhi. "To encourage the development of
alternative fuels it is necessary to upgrade the existing
testing facilities and ensure a constant and adequate
flow of funds. Fleet modernisation by both public and
private transport operators is the need of the hour and
the government should provide adequate incentives to speed
up the process."
SIAM president R Sheshasayee in his welcome address said
any alternative fuel will have to fulfill three prerequisites.
"First, there needs to be a mandate for the usage
of alternative fuel or in the absence of a mandate there
needs to be adequate incentives so that the alternative
fuel-powered vehicles could compete with the conventional
vehicles. The second prerequisite is the need for a properly-developed
technological system that would facilitate the safe and
affordable usage of the alternative fuel. The third and
one of the most important prerequisite will be the adequate
availability of the fuel."
A
unique feature of the seminar was the singing of a memorandum
of understanding between the Delhi Transport Corporation,
SIAM and NAFTC for setting up a national alternative fuel-training
institute. After signing the MoU, SIAM vice-president
Jagdish Khattar said it is imperative to develop both
the private and public transport systems in an integrated
manner.
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