CUMTA proposes revised freight vehicle parking policies to reduce congestion on Chennai roads

CUMTA proposes revised freight vehicle parking policies to reduce congestion on Chennai roads

Revised freight vehicle parking policies, proposed by the Chennai Unified Metropolitan Transport Authority (CUMTA), could reduce on-street parking by 70-80%, freeing up space on city roads for public use.

According to a press release, the proposal includes setting up designated parking zones and enforcing restrictions on long-duration freight parking on public roads.

The draft City Logistics Plan (CLP), prepared by CUMTA, outlined 10 strategies to improve urban freight movement across the Chennai Metropolitan Area (CMA), including reducing light commercial vehicle (LCV) travel by 4,000 to 6,000 vehicle-km (unit representing the movement of a vehicle over one kilometre) daily, to ease congestion on major corridors like Rajiv Gandhi Salai and East Coast Road (ECR).

This vehicle re-routing was projected to reduce congestion at key points by 25-40%, according to CUMTA.

The release added that terminal upgrades and access-controlled roads at ports could cut waiting times by 60-75%.

It further said parcels could be moved quickly using metro trains, helping cut travel time by 50% and reducing the number of light commercial vehicles on the roads. It added that shifting more freight to rail could take 500-700 trucks off city streets every day.

The release also mentioned that better planning for delivering perishable goods, such as fruits, vegetables, and dairy, could save 12,000-15,000 vehicle-km daily by reducing unnecessary trips and optimising routes.