[sustran] Re: Metro rail underused?

[Eric Bruun]

700,000 passengers per day on a 55 km long network (so far) doesn't sound
underused to me. 

Eric Bruun


-----Original Message-----
>From: arul rathinam <arulgreen at yahoo.com>
>Sent: Feb 26, 2006 11:47 PM
>To: sustran-discuss at list.jca.apc.org
>Subject: [sustran] Chennai Seminar - Monorail project not viable,	says Anbumani ? The Hindu
>
>Monorail project not viable, says Anbumani
> 
>"Metro rail will suit the State better"
> 
>Staff Reporter – The Hindu, 27–02-2006
> 
>·  Hassle-free commuting enhances productivity 
>·  Bus-rapid transport system mooted
> 
>Chennai: Union Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss has
>termed the State Government's proposed monorail
>project "unviable". Mr. Ramadoss said that the
>advanced countries used the monorail system only for
>short distances but the Tamil Nadu government had
>proposed a 300-kilometre network for Chennai. Even
>Japan used it only as a feeder service, he said at a
>seminar on public transport systems organised here on
>Saturday by the voluntary organisation Pasumai
>Thayagam. 
> 
>The approximate cost of laying one kilometre of the
>monorail network would be Rs. 162 crore, the Minister
>said. The fares would also have to be high, thus
>making the service unaffordable, he added. 
> 
>In contrast to the monorail, the metro rail project
>abandoned by the State was a far better option that
>would serve more number of people and reduce
>congestion on roads, Mr. Ramadoss said. Noting that
>vehicle explosion on roads was a serious threat to
>road safety, the Minister urged the Government to
>strictly carry out the required procedure before
>issuing licences. This could prevent a number of road
>accidents, he noted. 
> 
>Bus rapid transport 
>
>Dinesh Mohan, coordinator of the Transportation
>Research and Injury Programme, IIT Delhi, also said
>that the monorail was an extremely costly option of
>public transport. Making a case for bus rapid
>transport systems, Mr. Mohan said that it was a cheap
>and efficient method that only required better traffic
>management. 
>"Even in Delhi and Kolkata, the metro rail is
>under-utilised. A rapid transport system with a
>dedicated traffic lane only for buses is the best
>option for cities," he said. A bus rapid transport
>system would require very little investment as it did
>not require a completely new infrastructure network to
>be put in place. Further, advanced information
>technology could be used to schedule
>transport-on-demand bus systems to meet needs during
>peak hours, Mr. Mohan added. 
> 
>Urban infrastructure expert Anandarajan, former
>professor at Anna University, said that Chennai had a
>vehicle population of 17 lakh, of which 13 lakh was
>two-wheelers. He called for an integrated bus and rail
>system to push up the use of public transport and
>reduce dependence on two-wheelers and cars. 
> 
>Madras Institute of Development Studies Professor S.
>Janakarajan stressed on planned development for the
>city's peri-urban areas, which were growing rapidly.
>"If roads are congested when a person commutes from a
>suburb to the city for work, the hassle he has to go
>through reduces overall productivity levels," he said.
>
> 
>M.G. Devasahayam, trustee of voluntary organisation
>SUSTAIN, said that the average age of the 2,773 buses
>in Chennai is 7.62 years. The Metropolitan Transport
>Corporation must procure new high-capacity buses such
>as vestibule buses. Shobha Iyer, Citizen Consumer and
>Civic Action Group, underscored the need for
>affordable transport for the poor. She added that
>pedestrians and cyclists must be included in the
>transport development plan.
> 
>The Hindu, 27–02-2006
>http://www.hindu.com/2006/02/27/stories/2006022714250300.htm 
>
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