Signing the agreement on behalf of Government of Mongolia was Minister Khurelbaatar Chimed, while ADB Country Director for Mongolia Pavit Ramachandran signed on behalf of ADB.
“The project will demonstrate approaches to improve security, accessibility, and quality of public transport services, and boost road safety, that can be replicated in other transport corridors in Ulaanbaatar,” said Mr. Ramachandran. “In the process, this project is socially inclusive in benefiting the poor, women, and the disabled and disadvantaged in the community.”
The project aims to demonstrate initiatives to improve transport services by improving public transport access, facilities, and service in Chingeltei corridor; enhancing pedestrian safety facilities and residents’ safety awareness along Chingeltei street; and promoting behavior change and engagement in the community.
This corridor was selected in coordination with the Public Transport Service Department and the Governor’s Office of Capital City in line with the Ulaanbaatar City Masterplan due to the prevalence of persons with disability, complex terrain, road safety issues particularly for children, and high public transport ridership.
The route is marked by various public transport issues, including bus stops without seats or shelter, missing footpath sections, and clogging from private vehicles and taxis preventing buses from docking at the curb. Residents highlighted personal safety and security as an issue due to lack of footpaths and poor lighting. The area also has a poor road safety record with 80 crashes along the route in 2018, with 12 involving pedestrians.
A people-centered design approach that draws upon the active participation of users has been used to develop the project and this will continue throughout detailed design and implementation.
The project will directly benefit 12,104 females and 11,540 males, of which 7,336 are children, and 454 are persons with disabilities (PWDs) in two Khoroos (districts) in the ger areas.
The project is funded by the Japan Fund for Poverty Reduction, which has supported projects in Mongolia in poverty alleviation, improving livelihoods, and safeguarding the environment over the past 20 years./.