The Chennai Corporation has decided to design all roads keeping in mind priority to public transport, pedestrians and cyclists and their safety.

According to an official press release, at the meeting of the corporation council on Tuesday, the decision was taken in line with the Non-Motorised Transport policy adopted by it.

The Chennai Unified Metropolitan Transport Authority had constituted in 2012 a subcommittee to frame the NMT policy under the Corporation Commissioner.

The Corporation of Chennai Non-Motorised Transport Policy recommended by the subcommittee envisages a number of features such as world class pavements and plazas for pedestrians, cycle tracks, signages, bus bays and roads designed to link multimodal transport such as buses, monorail and metro rail.

The objective of the non-motorised transport policy is to encourage people to walk, cycle or opt for public transport, bring down the growth in number of private vehicles, upgrade and develop a transport system that is economical and safe for women, elderly and the young and non-polluting.

The authorities hope to increase cycle traffic by up to 40 per cent, bring down accident involving pedestrians and cyclists to zero, ensure walkways and cycle tracks on at least 80 per cent of the roads and take the share of public transport to 60 per cent.