Do Indian cities need a dedicated urban transport cadre?

Urban transport governance

Urban transport in Indian cities can be termed as “institutional and constitutional orphan”. It does not find explicit mention in any of the three constitutional lists (Union, State, and Concurrent). While “urban planning” is a state subject, and “highways” and “railways” fall under the Union, urban transport cuts across both. 

In 1986, the subject of urban transport was formally transferred to the Ministry of Urban Development, now the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA). As a nodal ministry for urban transport, the Ministry appointed an Officer on Special Duty (OSD) for Mass Rapid Transit Systems (MRTS) to oversee upcoming metro rail projects. 

These were typically senior railway engineers with deep project execution experience on metro systems. Over time, this evolved into the OSD (Urban Transport), a position occupied by several bureaucrats who played a vital role in piloting policies, such as the National Urban Transport Policy (2006), Metro Policy (2017), and managing centrally funded urban transport projects in several cities. 

The Ministry was also involved in training and capacity building programmes to train town planners and professionals through projects like the Sustainable Urban Transport Project (GEF-SUTP).

Need for integrated planning and management

Despite these interventions, Indian cities today face governance issues in the urban transport sector. Responsibilities are divided across municipal corporations, metro rail corporations, State Transport Undertakings (STUs), Regional Transport Offices (RTOs), and parastatal agencies. Each works with its own logic, data, and priorities, often without a shared vision. 

Professionals trained in urban transport engineering, planning, or policy backgrounds are dispersed across consultancies, academia, civil society organisations, and think tanks. While these actors have made valuable contributions, the absence of a unified administrative structure suggests that cities lack a dedicated corps of officers who can anchor long-term strategies, facilitate coordination among stakeholders, and lend continuity to policy frameworks. 

This is where the idea of a dedicated All India Urban Transport Service gains traction. Similar in spirit to the Indian Forest Service or the Indian Statistical Service, such a cadre would comprise professionals trained in transport policy, planning, finance, and infrastructure management.

The idea of Unified Metropolitan Transport Authorities (UMTAs) was long recommended by the National Urban Transport Policy (2006), the 12th Five-Year Plan’s Working Group on Urban Transport, and the Metro Rail Policy (2017). They have repeatedly emphasised the need for UMTA to act as nodal agencies for coordinated transport governance. 

Troubles with UMTAs and examples from abroad 

The Delhi government is planning to set up a UMTA to ensure seamless integration and efficient urban mobility. According to officials, the transport department is working on an Urban Transport Policy under which a unified body and a task force would be set up to coordinate with the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC), and Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC), and other transportation-managing authorities.

Several other states, like Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala, and Assam, have introduced legislations to establish UMTAs in their metropolitan regions. However, UMTAs in some cities have reportedly been hampered by several issues, including: 

— Legal ambiguities

— Lack of inter-agency coordinating mechanisms

— Jurisdiction of UMTA, and 

— Institutional turf protection.

In this context, several cities across the world offer examples of unified urban transport governance. Cities such as London, Vancouver, Singapore, Paris, etc. have lead institutions equipped with professionals to handle the complexities of urban transport. For instance, Transport for London (TfL) is responsible for the management and coordination of urban transport in the city. 

Can a dedicated cadre help? 

The idea of a dedicated cadre is not unprecedented. The High-Level Committee on Urban Planning Report (2023), for instance, recommended the creation of an All India Urban and Regional Planning Service, alongside a national town planning legislation. The rationale was similar: to develop a professional, permanent institutional presence in cities that can address complex and evolving urban challenges with the necessary expertise and stability. 

While municipal commissioners currently fulfill many of these responsibilities in cities, they have limited tenures and are usually more generalist than specialists. A dedicated cadre of urban professionals can address issues of continuity, state capacity, and professional competence.

In addition, the proposed All India Service for Urban Transport could draw from global examples and tailor it to address the complexities of Indian cities in various ways such as:

— Officers from this cadre could provide expertise on policy, planning, regulation and operation of urban transport at the city or metropolitan levels.

— They could support city governments, help establish and manage UMTAs, and foster coordination among various agencies. 

— Administrative training and support could be sought from the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT).

— In addition to technical competencies, focus on building collaborations with local leaders and elected representatives would be crucial.

— The success of such a cadre would depend a lot on enabling the 74th Constitutional Amendment that empowers urban local authorities to set up bodies like UMTAs.

That said, a note of caution. The administrative system already faces challenges that often obstruct, rather than enable, good governance. Adding a new cadre without addressing existing administrative and capacity constraints could add another layer of complexity.

Moreover, urban transport is not merely an engineering problem: it is a deeply social, political, and environmental one. Therefore, any institutional reform would need to be responsive to local context, adaptability, and citizen participation.

In the end, the idea of an All India Urban Transport Service is not a silver bullet to address urban transport problems in Indian cities. However, it could be seen as a first step towards addressing the issues of capacity and professional expertise in urban transport planning at city or metropolitan level.

Post read questions

Urban transport in Indian cities can be termed as “institutional and constitutional orphan”. Why? 

Indian cities today face governance issues in the urban transport sector. Do you think the idea of a dedicated All India Urban Transport Service would help address this?  

What was the rationale behind an All India Urban and Regional Planning Service recommended by the High-Level Committee on Urban Planning Report (2023)?

While Delhi is planning to set up a Unified Metropolitan Transport Authorities (UMTA), several other states, like Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala, and Assam, have introduced legislation to establish UMTAs in their metropolitan regions. But what kind of issues do UMTAs face in several cities, and what could be the possible way forward?

(Jacob Baby is a doctoral researcher in Concordia University, Canada, and explores matters related to urban planning in India.)

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