[sustran] Public transport too slow for city growth

[Vinay Baindur]

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/11102174.cms


Public transport too slow for city growth


Manthan K Mehta & Somit Sen, TNN | Dec 14, 2011, 06.07AM IST
Public transport plays a major role in the lives of all metro dwellers. And
so it is in Mumbai. Studies and estimates show that more than 70 lakh
Mumbaikars travel by trains every day, nearly 40 lakh by public buses, and
10 lakh by autos, taxis, fleetcabs. No wonder, then, that respondents to
The Times Of India-IMRB Quality Of Life Survey perceived Mumbai as having
the bestpublic transport facilities of eight Indian mega-cities.

In the survey, the financial capital received a score of 3.5 for its public
transport, which, on a scale of 1 to 5, is an above average rating. Mumbai
was followed by Hyderabad and Delhi, both of which got a score of 3.1.
Experts warn that Mumbai's good showing in this parameter of the survey
does not necessarily mean its trains, buses, autos and taxis are running
ideally. Rather, it may imply that other cities are worse off than us.
Also, they point out, there is a lot threatening to go wrong with our
public transport system.

For one, the Central Railway and Western Railway, the city's lifelines, are
witnessing an annual growth of almost 3% in passenger numbers. The Harbour
and Trans-Harbour networks, meanwhile, are witnessing a 10% growth in
passengers. So, unless the railways plan well, experts say, the suburban
rail network may soon reach the tipping point.

"The key is to open new corridors as existing lines have reached a
saturation point," said an official of Mumbai Rail Vikas Corporation.
"There is a need to open elevated high-speed corridors on Western, Central
and Harbour lines."

Due to projects like Mumbai Urban Transport Project-I, the situation has
improved, but many of those gains too have been frittered away. The cause:
delay in execution of project. On WR, the number of passengers per coach
has dipped to 220 from a peak of 260 in 2006. But at the same time, the
number of total passengers has risen from 2.95 million per day to 3.43
million.

"These works are at best fire-fighting measures. There is little emphasis
on long-term planning," Subhash Gupta, an ex-member of the National Rail
User Consultative committee. "There is no concentrated effort to improve
the circulating area at stations. Overcrowding has reached such proportions
that there are fears of stampede since station designs have remained
un-changed."

There is a similar need for planning for buses, autos, taxis and fleetcabs.
Some experts want the numbers of rickshaws, black-and-yellows and fleetcabs
to be increased, while many others stress on implementing a Bus Rapid
Transit System (BRTS).

Transport expert A V Shenoy added that there is an urgent need to conduct a
passenger survey and "accordingly, decide Mumbai's bus routes." "Today, a
handful of corporators are deciding most of the bus routes. Many times, the
BEST runs buses on routes which may not be really efficient and
economical." He emphasized that there is a need to connect every corner of
the city as new colonies come up in the city.