By Rajeev Ranjan Roy, IANS,
New Delhi : Many Asian and Latin American cities have tried it with success. Now a system of segregated lanes for high capacity buses is set to roll out in the Indian capital too, promising to shake off controversy and usher in speedy and cheap public transport for the city’s teeming millions.
Not many know that the Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS) – with dedicated lanes for special buses that can seat up to 35 people and carry another 45 standing passengers – took seven years of planning or that it was adapted from Latin American transport models.
The system exists in Mexico City, Sao Paulo, Bogotá, Santiago, Lima, and also Beijing, Taipei and Hanoi and has proved a hit with the masses there, say officials here who are seeking to introduce a similar transport model in a chaotic city.
Manoj Aggarwal, head of transport, Delhi Integrated Multimodal Transit System, which is the implementing agency for BRTS, said it was an effective way of increasing the “ridership” of public transit.
“With the introduction of BRTS in Bogotá, Colombia, public transit ridership increased 67-68 percent during the first year of operation from January to December 2001 when only two out of 22 planned lines had opened.”
The high capacity buses are expected to ease the congestion on Delhi’s roads by offering a speedy alternative to two-wheeler users and those who could be contemplating a switch to cars.
“BRTS will ensure comfortable and affordable transport to people. It is eco-friendly (as only compressed natural gas or CNG buses will run on it),” says Rakesh Mehta, Delhi’s chief secretary.
The countdown has begun. In May, around 45 low floor, eco-friendly buses are scheduled to take off. The system will eventually be extended to six other parts of the capital covering a total length of 107 km.
But so far in the Indian capital, where an estimated 6.5 million people use buses for commuting every day, public perception of BRTS has not been good.
The preparatory demarcation of lanes for BRTS buses has been throwing traffic out of gear in parts of the arterial Moolchand-Ambedkar Nagar stretch where it is first set to become functional from next month.
A government official admitted on condition of anonymity: “There have been many queries related to the traffic management on the corridor and how effectively the segregated lanes will work.”
Adds Geetam Tiwary, a professor in IIT-Delhi associated with the execution of BRTS, told IANS: “Most of the criticism is not factual and emanates from ignorance.
“Since 2004 Beijing has had segregated lanes for different vehicles and is going to replicate that in 20 other cities.”
A trial run of the system will take place here April 22 and officials are crossing their fingers.
Here’s why they expect BRTS to bring relief to Delhi’s undisciplined, ever-growing and slow traffic: The buses plying on this corridor at a speed of 40 km per hour will not stop at regular bus stations but only at designated ones, thus enabling them to reach the destination quicker.
Commuting by BRTS will also be cheaper than the metro trains, which carries 600,000 people daily.
As per the latest Economy Survey, the city had over 5.2 million vehicles in 2006-07. It works out to 317 vehicles per 1,000 against 244 in 2000-01.
Prospective users are sceptical about the viability of the project. Says Rekha Bidhuri, a resident of Sarita Vihar: “I don’t know how we will access bus stops in the middle of the road.”
But R.S. Minhans, a senior manager with BRTS, told IANS: “Pedestrians will access bus stops only through zebra crossings. Over 90 percent bus stops will be on the zebra crossings, which will be manned by around 135 well-trained marshals.”
The proof of the pudding lies in the eating, as someone said.