Leh, May 20: A Comprehensive Mobility Plan (CMP) is being prepared by the UT Administration for Leh and Kargil districts for improving the mobility within the Greater Leh and Greater Kargil areas. 

The Comprehensive Mobility Plan (CMP) offers a strategy for short, medium, and long-term investments to improve accessibility and mobility for the residents. 

The objective of the CMP is to provide a long-term goal for necessary urban development in each city; demonstrate a basic plan for urban development and include a list of proposed urban land use and transport measures to be implemented; and ensure that the most suitable, sustainable, and cost-effective solution is implemented in the urban transport sector.

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A meeting was chaired by the Commissioner/Secretary, Housing and Urban Development Department, UT Ladakh, Ajeet Kumar Sahu, to review the progress of the infrastructure work being developed in the CMP. 

Experts of RITES, the consultant agency, gave the Commissioner/ Secretary a detailed presentation on the feasibility assessment of an integrated mass transit system and allied infrastructure project in Leh and Kargil.

The agency apprised the Commissioner/Secretary that a GIS mapping of road networks of Leh town had been completed. Further, three types of primary surveys shall be carried out for both Leh and Kargil which include, Traffic and Travel surveys; Topographic surveys, and Geotechnical Investigation.

The Commissioner/ Secretary said that Leh and Kargil should be made accessible cities wherein the divyangs can move freely without any assistance. Further, he said the first right on the street is of the pedestrian and called for proper sidewalks and safe passages to be incorporated into the CMP. 

As cycling is popular in the region and also goes with the objectives of Carbon Neutral Ladakh, cycling infrastructure such as bikeways designated for bicycle travel will be developed, creating a safe cycling environment. The officials discussed various mass transport systems suitable for a region like Ladakh.

The Commissioner/Secretary, Ajeet Kumar Sahu said that the public should be encouraged to adopt sustainable practices such as using the public transport system and that continued behaviour change message can be imparted to the people through Information, Education, and Communication.

The meeting was attended by Director, Housing and Urban Development Department, Zahida Banoo; Project Manager, PMU for Smart City, Rahul Singh; Infrastructure Consultant, Harsh Jadav, and Consultant agency officials.