The presentation is based on the recent Interim Report prepared by the NTDPC, which adopts a long term view on transport policy. The focus will be on the key strategic directions proposed for capital investment in urban transport. There is a need to take a comprehensive approach and recognize the multiplicity of transport modes (including non-motorized modes) in India and their variance from city to city. Institutional reform should focus on empowering and enabling decision making at the city level rather than increasing the role of the central government in the provision of urban transport. Private ownership of motorised two wheelers and cars has increased tremendously over the last 20 years, and can be expected to increase further with rising incomes. Policies promoting public transport have to recognise this reality, and hence should include demand management strategies.Rakesh Mohan is currently Chairman of the National Transport Development Policy Committee of the Government of India, with rank of Minister of State. He is also Professor of the Practice of International Economics and Finance at the School of Management and Senior Fellow in the Jackson Institute for Global Affairs at Yale University. He has previously been Secretary, Ministry of Finance and Deputy Governor of the RBI. He has researched extensively in the areas of economic reforms and liberalisation, industrial economics, urban economics, infrastructure studies, economic regulation, monetary policy and the financial sector. He has several publications to his credit, including three books on urban economics and urban development and two on central banking. Dr. Mohan received his PhD in Economics from Princeton University and has a BA from Yale University.This is the twenty eighth in a series of Urban Workshops by the Centre de Sciences Humaines (CSH) and Centre for Policy Research (CPR). These workshops seek to provoke public discussion on issues relating to the development of the city and try to address all its facets including its administration, culture, economy, society, and politics. For information, please contact: Marie-Hélène Zerah at marie-helene.zerah@ird.fr or Partha Mukhopadhyay at partha@cprindia.org
