[sustran] Re: Mumbai Rail Commuter Survey

Sudhir sudhir at cai-asia.org
Thu Jan 29 08:43:45 JST 2009


Dear Karthik,



Thanks for bringing this important aspect to forefront.



I agree with your judgment on Midday.



First the rates charged for AC facilities are too high for a normal middle
class person. Paying 3500 bucks for only his travel would make a big hole in
his monthly budget hence they would not like to travel in AC facilities with
"High Rates". But the issue is why the public transportation cannot provide
comfort at low rates considering the environmental good they are doing? Why
should we expect people to travel like 'animals' ( I hope people must have
seen how animals are transported ) just because they don't travel in their
own vehicles?



When we spend billions subsidizing fuel for vehicle owners, provide free
parking, interchanges and flyovers.... why cannot we provide good transport
at affordable rates? Why do people believe that owning vehicle is the
solution and not the problem? We often try to remove cycle rickshaws,
pedestrians and slow modes of transport from roads considering that they
cause traffic jams :-)



Everybody wants the other person to travel in overcrowded public transport,
walk and cycle and reap the environmental benefits out of it while
travelling in a own vehicle :-(



In the previous weeks we have seen the media reporting on BRTS on
Parliamentary Committee Report. The less said the better!



best regards



Sudhir Gota




2009/1/29 Karthik Rao Cavale <krc12353 at gmail.com>

> Hi,
>
> On the results of the Mumbai Rail Commuter Survey, I can see at least two
> differing opinions in newspapers (which amazes me to no small extent. how
> can you have such diverging conclusions on what data says?)
>
>
> http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Cities/Mumbai/88_passengers_train_gun_on_a_cool_trip/articleshow/4039026.cms
>
> and
>
>
> http://www.mid-day.com/news/2009/jan/180109-air-conditioned-locals-expensive-second-class-commuters-Mumbai-News-refusals.htm
>
> Can somebody clear the air? (figuratively, apologies to Sudhir Gota)
>
> Personally, Mid-day's report sounds more plausible. ToI claims that 79% of
> the commuters travel first-class (in a fact-box that is not available in the
> e-version) - if that is the result of a survey, then MVRC is just a bad
> surveyor. I would like to mention that I am inclined to support those who
> are against the AC coaches. Where there is already so much demand, it is of
> prime importance that the existing users are given some semblance of comfort
> before bringing in AC coaches.
>
> There is a real danger that these AC coaches will go the Bangalore volvo
> way. No one would benefit.
>
> Warm Regards,
> karthik
>
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-- 
Sudhir Gota
Transport Specialist
CAI-Asia Center
Unit 3510, 35th Floor, Robinsons-Equitable Tower,
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