The editorial `Moving the masses' (Business Line, July 4) has dealt with the problem of urban transport quite lucidly. Here are a few more suggestions to mitigate the problem. The first step is to appoint a standing committee of experts from all sectors of urban transport to advise Central and State governments on possible alternatives with reliable data. In the absence of such a nodal agency, a coordinated effort at tackling this problem will be difficult, since any long-term solution requires a thorough study of all problems, including financial commitments.

A possible and a workable solution could be moving official, industrial, commercial and related activity to the periphery of cities. Typical examples of this are Navi Mumbai in Mumbai city and Maraimalai Nagar in Chennai. Another solution could be staggering office timings so that the so-called peak hour gets spread out. Also, residential apartments within city limits could be severely restricted. .

T. R. Anandan

Coimbatore

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