Pune: The progress of five sustainable urban transport projects in the country including the BRTS project in Pimpri Chinchwad will be evaluated through an internal audit. All five are green transport projects being implemented by the ministry of urban development, with support from Global Environmental Facility’s (GEF) sustainable urban transport taken up to strengthen the capacity of the cities, states and the government in planning, financing, operating and managing transport systems. The project was to be implemented over a four-year period from 2009. The funding is through JNNURM funds, as also a GEF grant through World Bank. The ministry, in a background note, stated that increased urban travel has resulted in more greenhouse gas emissions. Unless specific steps are taken to develop and implement environmentally friendly urban transport systems, urban areas may be the single largest source of such emissions. An important goal of the National Urban Transport Policy is to reduce GHG emissions. The ministry, unde sustainable urban transport project, promotes more environment friendly modes of transport. In Pimpri Chinchwad, two BRTS corridors are being constructed — from Kalewadi phata to Dehu Alandi (13.2km) and Nashik Phata to Wakad (7.8km). The estimated cost is Rs 674.59 crore. The project will improve the existing road network and provide a public transportation system. As part of the project, there would be provision of separate lanes for pedestrians and bicycles on either ends of the route. The municipal corporation is implementing the project. The other projects to be evaluated include BRTS projects in Hubli-Dharwad and Raipur, enhancing BRTS operations in Indore through automatic fare collection and bus signal priority, and Intelligent Transport System improvements on existing buses and ethanol diesel infrastructure in Mysore. The term of the previous internal audit ended in March. The ministry has recently invited offers for appointment of new internal auditors till December 2015.