[sustran] "Eco-Friendly" Bus shelters

[Chris Zegras]

http://www.gulf-news.com/Articles/news.asp?ArticleID=57694
Capital Matters: New Delhi bus shelters go eco-friendly
New Delhi |By Nilima Pathak | 15-07-2002


The capital's first two eco-friendly solar power bus shelters, equipped 
with a rain water harvesting facility have come up on Bhairon Marg opposite 
Pragati Maidan in Central Delhi, marking a new phase in a city that is 
becoming rapidly more environmentally aware.

With a seating capacity of 26, the new bus stop provides an insight into 
the currently available eco-friendly technologies.

Popularising and spreading the message of water preservation, it will 
enable the people to see how water can be collected and used for recharging 
the ground water table.

Delhi Transport Corporation Manager (Civil) R.S. Ranga said, "The roof of 
the brightly-coloured bus stop will be used to collect rain water, which 
will then be transferred to the ground through a pipe and passed through a 
porous strata of earth to free it of all pollutants."

Thus, instead of flowing into a drain, the water will be used to recharge 
the ground water table.

However, Ranga warned, "The entire idea behind this is to educate the 
masses and let them understand and have the feel of the technology on water 
harvesting. But to say that the 200 ft-250 ft roof area of a bus stop will 
in any way contribute towards conserving water is aiming too high."

According to him, the DTC came up with this novel idea since people do not 
know where to get guidance on this technology.

"But that does not mean this is the only kind of bus stop that will be 
introduced all over Delhi now. Although we would like to have another 200 
added to our list."

Another unique feature of the new bus stop is that it will have provision 
for solar lighting and it will be properly lit throughout the night. This 
is being done to spread the message that alternate sources of energy need 
to be tapped.

An additional factor is the use of perforated steel for providing sitting 
space. Ranga said, "The seats have a back rest for passenger comfort. But 
we have also made sure that only a genuine passenger avails of the facility 
and encroachers do not use the place."

Heat-proof

Although the bus shelter has a false ceiling to make it heat-proof, the 
official does not think that the 30-foot long roof shelter area will be 
broadened. Commuters have in the past complained against the lack of space 
under the roof as it does not provide much respite at noon or when it rains.

Planned as part of the 'Clean, green and beautiful Lutyens' Delhi' the 
scheme of the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) is one of the many taking 
shapes. Interestingly, the bus stops are being constructed on a 
build-operate-transfer (BOT) basis by Hindustan Construction Corporation, 
which will also maintain them for three years. The cost incurred is double 
that of the previous normal ones. But DTC is not worried.

"The cost is likely to be recovered in less than five years through 
commercial use of space," said Ranga.

So far, the NDMC has also renovated several bus stops in its area under the 
BOT. Earlier, the scheme failed to take off and had to be withdrawn because 
of losses. It later decided to construct bus stops itself and generate 
funds for their maintenance through advertisements.

 From an iron bench supported on two poles and covered with an asbestos 
sheet, bus stops in the city have come a long way.

With an eye on outdoor advertising, there was a rethink on design, 
incorporating elements like back lighting. Then came the swanky new bus 
stops with PVC seats and glossy exteriors, perfect for mounting 
advertisements. Rather comfortable, people started using them as night 
shelters.

These were, thus, re-invented. The idea was to accommodate about 30 people 
in each bus stop. But this time the mission was also to discourage sleepers 
and vandals. The new ones did away with the asbestos roof and replaced the 
long benches with two small seats and two bars.

The users then complained the bars were uncomfortable. Sitting on a pole 
with one's feet resting on another pole was not the best way to wait for a 
bus, they felt. The structure itself was firmly anchored with heavy-duty 
nuts and bolts.

The roof of the bus stop was also much higher than the older ones. All 
plastic elements had been eliminated because they were easily stolen.

Design wise, they met the requirement of being vandalism-proof. But 
complaints persisted. Users said that because of the obstructions on the 
road one had to wait on the road for the bus and shelters at some points 
were useless.

Meanwhile, road traffic experts said the DTC responsible for constructing 
bus stops has ignored basic features of road and traffic engineering. The 
road at some points is narrow and a line of bus reaches up to a roundabout, 
which not only obstructs traffic but also poses a great danger to pedestrians.

Ideally, experts say, the bus shelter should be 100 to 150 metres away from 
a flyover, an intersection or a roundabout. The Delhi Traffic Police 
support the claim. But the DTC officials have their reason. "Due to lack of 
space at certain points, it is not possible to have a bus bay everywhere," 
said Ranga.



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Christopher Zegras
Research Associate
MIT * Laboratory for Energy & the Environment * Room E40-468
1 Amherst Street * Cambridge, MA 02139
Tel: 617 258 6084 * Fax: 617 253 8013