Mumbai: Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari has called on the state government to build multi-tiered highways that can be integrated with the city’s metro system.
He was speaking at an event to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the municipalisation of BEST Undertaking and unveil premium AC buses on Thursday.
Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and assembly Speaker Rahul Narvekar were present at the occasion.
Gadkari said that during his term as a minister in Maharashtra, more than 50 flyovers were built in Mumbai.
“Now they are not enough. The state government should start thinking about building two-, three-storey flyovers in Mumbai, so vehicles can use the upper decks and the metro can be integrated,” he said.
The minister said that more people should be encouraged to leave their cars and take public transport.
“In our country only 1% of people use public transport, while in Europe 30% do so,” he said.
Diesel theft and non-issuance of tickets by conductors are two major reasons for public transport losses, especially in remote areas, Gadkari said. The minister also listed noise pollution as a cause for concern.
The Central Motor Vehicle Rules, 1989, has fixed the noise range for horns between 93 decibels (dB) and 112dB.
