The institutional framework for urban transport projects in developing countries: Case study of Mumbai, Bombay, India

India has four mega cities - Bombay, Calcutta, Delhi and Madras - each with a population of about 10 million and still growing. Apart from these cities there are 26 cities which have a population of 1 million or more. The four mega cities are served by extensive surface heavy rail urban transport systems with the system in Bombay carrying more than 5 million passengers daily. Only Calcutta has an underground system and work has just started on a mass transit system for Delhi. Planning studies for expanding the mass transit system in Bombay have been on for sever-al years now. However there has been very little expansion of the system. The authors have been closely involved in the conceptualization and studying the feasibility of providing a suitable rail based mass transit system for the Central Business District of Bombay. The institutional problems encountered and the approaches to resolve the various issues encountered is the basis of this paper According to the Constitution of India the Railway comes under the Central Government, while the bus transport is with the control of the States. The Tramways and elevated light railways, though strictly speaking under the State control, have of late been subject to attempts to control by the Central Rail Ministry. To compound the problem, there are a plethora of ordinate the planning and implementation of new schemes.