[sustran] Re: : World Bank loan for MUTP

[kisan mehta]

Dear Walter, Paul,  Bina  and  Sustran Colleagues,

I am rushing this message away to report on our discussion with Bina C.
Balakrishnan
on the MUTP and other issues  relating to transport and movement problems in
Mumbai.

Bina  was gracious enough to meet  despite her other pressing engagements.
Kanu
Kamdar a Sustran colleague joined the discussion.  Bina has a sound
academic background.
In addition to Bachelor in Civil Engineering, she has a Masters' in Town
Planning.  She is a
Consultant on many related projects throughout the country and  an active
volunteer to
NeTra which has just started working for improving transport infrastructure
in Mumbai.

Her technological approach to solving Mumbai's problems is one way of
looking at Mumbai's
problems.   She feels that MMRDA is doing its best to improve conditions.
Her contention is
that the MUTP I (where the Bank had extended a loan already amortised) was
meant to
improve public road transport (BEST Undertaking) and now is the time for
improving transport
infrastructure.     The Bank assistance to the MMRDA would go a long way in
this direction.

We could not go into details on the MUTP in the present form or on its
evolution over last ten
years due to her other urgent engagement.  .

We could as well not convince her on the need for a multipronged coordinated
approach
and involvement of citizens from planning to implementation as the main
(probably the only
stake holders) for developing a sustainable and yet efficient movement
system.

The fact remains.  A number of news reports have appeared during last ten
days which
indicate that the Bank is bent on extending the loan.    Information
received clearly show
that the Bank assistance  in the present situation would increase
motorisation  and affect
the environment seriously.  The Bank would be contributing to the
environmental
depradation if the minimum measures suggested are not incorporated.
Maharashtra
Govt is in serious financial difficulty and yet it is pursuing the West
Island Expressway
now renamed as Bandra Nariman Sealink (likely to cost not less than Rs 80
billion, a tightly
kept secret).  .

In this situation,  we would like to reemphasize our request to Walter Hook
and Sustran
Colleagues to get the Bank to accept the minimum to save Mumbai from
declining further in
quality of life.     We do not wish to comment on her responses to some of
the basic issues in
our earlier communications that emphasize on live citizen involvement and
developing a sysetm,
affordable by the common man.   Cost of MUTP and the Bank loanwould be
aburden to citizens
who willsuffer more. Best wishes.

Kisan and Priya

----- Original Message -----
From: kisan mehta <kisansbc at vsnl.com>
To: <varghese at krec.ernet.in>; <sustran-discuss at jca.ax.apc.org>
Cc: kisan mehta <kisansbc at vsnl.com>; Walter Hook <whook at igc.org>
Sent: Wednesday, March 13, 2002 5:23 PM
Subject: Re: [sustran] Re: World Bank loan for MUTP


> Dear Dr George Varghese,   Walter, Bina and Sustran Colleagues,
>
> George has raised pertinent issues.   Mumbai is developing, exploding
> with activities.   Mumbai has the highest average population density in
> the world with more than 26,000 per sq km, some areas touching
> 100,000.   Even the Island City has over 45,000 resident population
> density with about equal number visiting that part daily. About 65 %
> of the population stay in slums not having basic amenities.  A few
> Mumbaites rank amongst the wolrd's richest.
>
> Water supplywise, Mumbai always gets whatever supply it needs. The
> World Bank and others are all anxious to provide loans for building
> more supply sources for diverting water to Mumbai.  A flat owner is
> allocated 135 liters per capita a day while a slum dweller should feel
> happy if he could draw 25 lt from the comon tap.   About 60% of
> Municipal revenue is from octroi which apply equally to all- rich and
> poor.  Some of the largest business houses located in Mumbai avoid
> income tax liability upto Rs 3 billion each through legal loopholes.
> The Municipality spends Rs 3 billion a year on road construction and
> maintenance without getting anything from vehicle owners. Spending on
> public health and education are less than half each. State Government
> drastically cut off budgetted allocation on education and public health
> but is bent on spending secretly kept Rs 70 billion for motorways.
>
> Prices of cooking gas more than doubled in three years with
> petrol prices rising about 15% and declining recently.  Prices of
> petroleum based items are govt regulated. Mumbai has reputedly
> the highest 2 and 4 wheeler density in the world.  One can own a
> car with finance provided at practically zero % interest but no
> scheme for assistance to obtain a bicyle.
>
> Air quality is extremely poor.  Solid Particulate Matter level
> is exceedingly high yet the proposed MUTP would build more
> pavementless  carriageways.   We thought of meeting Bina before
> formally responding to her reply to our suggestion to Sustran
> friends.  She has graciously agreed to meet on 14 Mar.   More
> afterwards.     Best wishes.
>
> Kisan Mehta and Priya Salvi
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: <varghese at krec.ernet.in>
> To: sustran-discuss <sustran-discuss at jca.ax.apc.org>
> Cc: kisan mehta <kisansbc at vsnl.com>; Walter Hook <whook at igc.org>
> Sent: Wednesday, March 13, 2002 11:05 AM
> Subject: Re: [sustran] Re: World Bank loan for MUTP
>
>
> > Dear sustran
> >
> >     Let me refer to what Bina CBalakrishnan wrote on 10 Mar 2002,
> >
> > > As we will all readily admit, Mumbai as a city is barely
> > > functional. These people try to do their best, despite tremendous
> >
> > Mumbai is the commercial capital of the country where 60% of all
> > commercial transactions are undertaken. It is one of the fastest growing
> > financial capitals of the world. To say that " Mumbai as a city is
barely
> > functional" as Bina has construed is ridiculous.
> >
> >             Should the  email from Bina be considered as  a 'Self
> > Advertisement Campaign' or is it realy borne out of a genuine concern
for
> > Mumbai Transport Scenario?....  Or, is it aimed at providing  publicity
> > to  NeTrA?...
> >
> > Bina says,
> > "> Coming now to the much-discussed MUTP, we at NeTrA believe in
> > > trying the application of management solutions to solve a
> > > transportation problem, before resorting to an engineering, or
> > > supply side, solution. "
> >
> >  It would be indeed beneficial if Bina could  elaborate  the above
> > line so that the recipients of this email would be in a position to
> > comment on the  "management solutions" recommended. I too was a resident
> > of Mumbai for a long time and had also been closely in touch with MMRDA,
> > BEST, etc. The solutions to problems are not just as easy as providing
> > management solutions. These solutions are efective only in the initial
> > stages of  development of a city  for improvement of traffic scenario.
> >
> > "Management solutions" touch only the fringe of the problem. What we
need
> > is a "comprehensive systems approach towards" solving problems in
> > transportation which involves input from various fields related to
> > transportation as most specialists in the field of Transportation
Systems
> > Engineering would agree.   Also, the solutions  to transport problems
must
> > be derived from all angles after proper study and careful evaluation of
> > the alternatives to the  problem  situation.
> >
> > Bina also says
> > > Therefore, I feel that those projects that have been identified within
the
> > > scope of the MUTP are sorely needed, and the sooner they are
> > > implemented, the better off the city and its residents will be be very
assured,
however, that we are not any part of the "Car lobby"
> >
> >    Whether the projects that were identified within the scope of MUTP
are
> > sorely needed or not is a subject that has been discussed by experts in
> > various fields in various forum. Some agree to the projects while some
> don't. Whether the residents will be benefitted is something that they
have to
> > wait and see.
> >
> >   How can we claim ourselves to be not party of one lobby or the other?
We
> > are all humans and we all have our biases. The bias always creeps in in
> > one way or the other in all our actions and delibrations.
> >
> > Dr. Varghese George,
> > (Transportation Systems Engineering- Specialization)
> > Dept. of Civil Engg,
> > KREC, Surathkal
> > email:  varghese at krec.ernet.in
> > --------------------------------------------------
> >
> > On 10 Mar 2002, Bina CBalakrishnan wrote:
> >
> > > Dear Mr. Mehta, Ms. Salvi,
> > >
> > > Thank you for the gracious invitation to meet with you at your
> > > offices in Mumbai.
> > >
> > > Maybe I should tell you where I'm coming from, and where I stand,
first.
> > >
> > > As I said earlier, I am an independent consultant in
> > > Transportation Planning and Engineering, based in Mumbai. I was
> > > fortunate to do a study for Mumbai in 1999-2000, where I
> > > interacted very closely with the senior officers of the MMRDA, the
> > > BMC, the Maharashtra Maritime Board, the Western and Central
> > > Railways, and the then newly formed MRVC. I was impressed with the
> > > commitment I saw there.
> > >
> > > As we will all readily admit, Mumbai as a city is barely
> > > functional. These people try to do their best, despite tremendous
> > > odds, funds crunch, and the sheer weight of numbers. But as an
> > > independent consultant, once I finished my job, I moved on.
> > >
> > > Last year, I was drawn into a very novel movement here in Mumbai.
> > > Aware of the problems facing the city, and also aware of the
> > > Government's limitations in resolving them, a group of NGOs had
> > > come together to stem the city's rapid downslide. The most obvious
> > > problem was transportation, and the immediate fallout - apart from
> > > other issues- was the increased levels of pollution in the city.
> > > The group targeted this, therefore. They called themselves NeTrA -
> > > an acronym for Networking for Transportation Alternatives. I am
> > > now very actively involved with NeTrA, and guide them on
> > > transportation related issues.
> > >
> > > NeTrA is committed to improving the transportation system of
> > > Mumbai, and believes in working very closely with the concerned
> > > authorities in order to achieve this objective. Confrontations
> > > solve very few problems, and generally results in the waste of a
> > > lot of time. NeTrA therefore focuses on issues, and forces a
> > > meaningful dialogue with the Government, getting it to make
> > > commitments, and setting target dates for achieving these
> > > commitments.
> > >
> > > Coming now to the much-discussed MUTP, we at NeTrA believe in
> > > trying the application of management solutions to solve a
> > > transportation problem, before resorting to an engineering, or
> > > supply side, solution. However, having done the earlier job in
> > > Mumbai, I am aware of the limitations of the road network of the
> > > city, and also of the transportation system as a whole. Therefore,
> > > I feel that those projects that have been identified within the
> > > scope of the MUTP are sorely needed, and the sooner they are
> > > implemented, the better off the city and its residents will be. Be
> > > very assured, however, that we are not any part of the "Car
> > > lobby", but are actively trying to promote mass transportation-
> > > both road based and rail based, and if possible, water based too!
> > >
> > > This does not imply that we have blindly agreed to whatever the
> > > plans involve. We have been attending the public presentations,
> > > and making suggestions, some of which have been included in the
> > > scope of the MUTP. Where we do not agree, we raise an objection,
> > > and it has been looked into. As I said earlier, the entire EIA is
> > > on the net, and available to anyone who may be interested.
> > >
> > > Having said this much, I would be happy to meet with you, either
> > > as an independent planner or as a member of NeTrA.
> > >
> > > My very best regards to you and Ms. Salvi.
> > > Bina C. Balakrishnan
> > > Consultant,  Transportation Planning and Engineering
> > > e-mail: binac at rediffmail.com