Dense development near metro stations promoted within 500 metres, says Ashwini Bhide

Coordinating public transport and urban development is very important. If development around metro stations is planned, more people will use public transport and getting around the city will become easier, said Ashwini Bhide, Managing Director of Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation and Commissioner of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation.

She was speaking at the 19th Urban Mobility India Conference in Bhubaneswar. She chaired the session on "Land use and transport beyond city limits".

Referring to the Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) initiative in Maharashtra, Bhide said the policy has begun to be implemented in Nagpur and Pune. In Mumbai too, a policy has been put in place to promote high-density development within about 500 metres of underground metro stations.

Under the policy, planned development of homes, offices, shops and daily-need facilities around metro stations is encouraged. The money raised through the additional premium charged for allowing more built-up area is spent on local civic amenities and transport infrastructure. This helps make the growth of cities more planned and cohesive.

Bhide said such development around stations could increase the number of metro commuters, make daily travel more convenient and also speed up Mumbai's long-term economic growth.

She also underlined that coordination among various government agencies and local bodies is necessary for planning transport and for effective development of areas beyond city limits. According to her, future urban transport policies can be made more effective on the basis of the experience of cities such as London and Singapore and the recommendations of experts.