[sustran] Re: Traffic Congestion in Bangalore

[Ashok Sreenivas]

Sorry, having to send this in plain text format as html messages don't 
seem to go through to the sustran list from my mail client.

The following (obviously anonymous) quote from another article on 
Bangalore's connectivity to the new airport 
(http://www.business-standard.com/common/news_article.php?leftnm=3&bKeyFlag=BO&autono=317600&chkFlg=) 
says a lot about the "rationale" for transport planning in many Indian 
cities: “Please realise where the incentive lies. Spend Rs 3,000 crore 
or more on your own — imagine the contracts that can be awarded — or 
give the Railways Rs 100 crore or maybe less to do the job.”

As for Pune, we seem to be in a Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde situation. Dr. 
Jekyll seems to be in operation when a new NMT friendly transport policy 
is tabled 
(http://www.expressindia.com/latest-news/PMCs-transport-policy-On-paper-pedestrians-and-cyclists-in-top-gear/279405/) 
or a dedicated NMT cell is created within the municipal corporation 
headed by one of their better officers or when the municipal corporation 
voluntarily adopts a no vehicle day for its premises 
(http://www.expressindia.com/latest-news/PMCs-green-thumb-CNG-buses-in-2-months-cycle-day-on-Tuesdays/284256/). 
Mr. Hyde seems to takeover when a road is widened with the entire extra 
width being used up parking cars, or when a slew of new "transport 
improvement schemes" are announced all of which involve constructing new 
flyovers, or electric poles, telephone junction boxes, trees and 
miscellaneous kiosks occupy large chunks of footpaths and cycle tracks. 
Unfortunately, Mr. H seems to have the upper hand now though we haven't 
entirely given up hope for Dr. J.

Ashok