<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN">
<HTML><HEAD>
<META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=us-ascii">
<META content="MSHTML 6.00.2900.3020" name=GENERATOR></HEAD>
<BODY>
<DIV align=left><SPAN class=687280609-20122006><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2>So what is the latest news on this? Has operation
resumed?</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV align=left><SPAN><FONT face=Arial size=2>--<BR>Alan Howes<BR>Associate
Transport Planner<BR>Colin Buchanan</FONT></SPAN> <BR><SPAN><FONT face=Arial size=2>4 St Colme Street<BR>Edinburgh EH3
6AA<BR>Scotland<BR>email: </FONT></SPAN><A title=mailto:alan.howes@cbuchanan.co.uk href="mailto:alan.howes@cbuchanan.co.uk"><SPAN title=mailto:alan.howes@cbuchanan.co.uk><U title=mailto:alan.howes@cbuchanan.co.uk><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2>alan.howes@cbuchanan.co.uk</FONT></U></SPAN></A><SPAN><BR><FONT face=Arial size=2>tel: (0)131 226 4693
(switchboard)<BR>
(0)7952 464335 (mobile)<BR>fax: (0)131 220
0232<BR>www: <A>http:/www.cbuchanan.co.uk/</A><BR></FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV><BR>
<DIV class=OutlookMessageHeader align=left>
<HR>
<FONT face=Tahoma size=2><B>From:</B>
sustran-discuss-bounces+alan.howes=cbuchanan.co.uk@list.jca.apc.org
[mailto:sustran-discuss-bounces+alan.howes=cbuchanan.co.uk@list.jca.apc.org]
<B>On Behalf Of </B>Sujit Patwardhan<BR><B>Sent:</B> 04 December 2006
20:09<BR><B>To:</B> SUSTRAN Asia and Pacific Sustainable
Transport<BR><B>Subject:</B> [sustran] Pune First City in India to have BRT
System<BR></FONT><BR></DIV>
<DIV></DIV>
<P><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">4
December 2006</SPAN></FONT></P>
<P><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><BR></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><BR></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Friends in
SUSTRAN,<BR></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">You
will be happy to know that Pune inaugurated its BRT System on 3 December 2006,
one day short of two years from the date on which Enrique Penalosa made a
landmark presentation at a public meeting jointly organized by PMC (Pune
Municipal Corporation) and PTTF (Pune Traffic & Transportation Forum) on 4
December 2004 at the Bal Gandharva Rang Mandir, Pune. </SPAN></FONT></P>
<P><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Pune becomes the first city in India
to start BRT, on what still is an incomplete Pilot corridor of about 12.5
Kilometers. As enthusiastic supporters of BRT in Pune we have also been
concerned about the hasty way in which projects get implemented without proper
attention to detail. Yesterday's inauguration at the hands of the Union Urban
Development Minister Mr Jaipal Reddy was also an example of this - largely a
political affair with the ruling Congress Party rushing to get the project off
the ground in time to beat the political deadline set by the oncoming elections
to the Local Civic body. Under the election rules no new projects can be
announced after the set date which is about 2 months from the date of polling.
</SPAN></FONT></P>
<P><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">We
are therefore treading cautiously and pressing the authorities to attend to
important components of the project to ensure that by the time the full corridor
becomes operational it will be a big success and win support from citizens.
There are plans for implementing BRT </SPAN></FONT><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">in a phased manner
</SPAN></FONT><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">on major roads stretching over 100
Kms throughout the city. <BR></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><BR>Dr Geetam Tiwari and Dr Dinesh
Mohan from IIT (Indian Institute of Technology), New Delhi, have played a key
role in designing the Pilot project. Dr Nitin Kareer the Municipal Commissioner
also deserves credit for having initiated the BRT project despite absence of
political support. Although we as a local NGO have ongoing arguments with him
and his officers, we acknowledge that without his backing BRT would have
remained merely an idea discussed at transportation seminars.
<BR></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">In
the coming weeks we hope to post photographs and articles on Pune's BRT and
would be happy if you take a look at our web site from time to time.
<BR></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><A href="http://www.pttf.net">www.pttf.net</A></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><BR></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Your comments would be most
welcome.</SPAN></FONT></P>
<P><BR><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Sujit
Patwardhan<BR></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><BR></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">From: <A href="http://www.zeenews.com/znnew/articles.asp?aid=339828&sid=REG">http://www.zeenews.com/znnew/articles.asp?aid=339828&sid=REG</A></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"></SPAN></FONT> </P>
<TABLE style="WIDTH: 100%" cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 width="100%" border=0>
<TBODY>
<TR>
<TD style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0in; PADDING-LEFT: 0in; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; PADDING-TOP: 0in">
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: 13.5pt"><B><FONT face=Arial color=black size=4><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 13.5pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Pune
becomes the first city in India to have BRT system
</SPAN></FONT></B></P></TD></TR>
<TR height=15>
<TD style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0in; PADDING-LEFT: 0in; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; PADDING-TOP: 0in" height=15>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman" color=black size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black"></SPAN></FONT> </P></TD></TR>
<TR>
<TD style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0in; PADDING-LEFT: 0in; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; PADDING-TOP: 0in">
<P><FONT face=Arial color=#303030 size=1><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 9pt; COLOR: rgb(48,48,48); FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Pune, Dec
03: Pune today become the first city in the country to have the Bus Rapid
Transit (BRT) system, a modern public transport plan to beat traffic
chaos, with Union Urban Development Minister Jaipal Reddy inaugurating the
system on a 12.2 km stretch of the total planned distance of over 100 km.
<BR><BR>"The central government has approved Bus Rapid Transit system for
Indore, Pune and Ahmedabad. But Pune has become the first city in the
country where it (BRTs) has become operational and I am happy to flag off
the bus," Reddy said at a function held to mark the occasion.
<BR><BR>Reddy, MP Suresh Kalmadi, Mayor Rajini Tribhuvan, Municipal
Commissioner Nitin Kareer, Corporators and members of the public had a
ride in the five Volvo buses procured for the BRTs and that plied during
the inaugural run. <BR><BR>Currently, the BRT system would be operational
only on a 12.2 km long Hadapsar-Swargate-Katraj corridor, to be complete
within three months at a cost of Rs 62 crore. More corridors would be
added subsequently, covering all the major arterial roads for an extensive
Pune-wide BRT network. <BR><BR>The Centre has sanctioned Rs 500 crore for
another 50 km for BRTs and the fund for the remaining 50 km of BRTs
corridor would also be approved without any delay, the Union Minister said
in his speech. <BR><BR>Urbanisation is a byproduct of industrialisation
and was inevitable. In the 20th century, the USA and Europe underwent
urbanisation which was now taking place in developing countries like
India, Reddy said. </SPAN></FONT></P></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"></SPAN></FONT> </P><BR><BR>--
<BR>------------------------------------------------------<BR>Sujit
Patwardhan<BR><A href="mailto:sujit@vsnl.com">sujit@vsnl.com</A><BR><A href="mailto:sujitjp@gmail.com">sujitjp@gmail.com</A><BR><BR>"Yamuna", <BR>ICS
Colony, <BR>Ganeshkhind Road,<BR>Pune 411 007<BR>India<BR>Tel:
25537955<BR>----------------------------------------------------- <BR>Hon.
Secretary:<BR>Parisar<BR><A href="http://www.parisar.org">www.parisar.org</A><BR>------------------------------------------------------<BR>Founder
Member: <BR>PTTF <BR>(Pune Traffic & Transportation Forum)<BR><A href="http://www.pttf.net">www.pttf.net</A><BR>------------------------------------------------------
</BODY><!--[object_id=#cbuchanan.co.uk#]--><FONT face=Tahoma><FONT color=#0000ff>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT face=Arial color=#000000 size=2>............................................................................................................................................................................................</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT face=Arial color=#000000 size=2>DISCLAIMER</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT face=Arial color=#000000 size=2></FONT> </P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT face=Arial color=#000000 size=2>This email and any files transmitted with it are confidential and intended solely for the use of the individual or entity to which they are addressed. Unless you are the named addressee, or authorised to receive it for the addressee, you may not copy or use it, or disclose it to anyone else. If you have received this email in error please contact the sender by replying to this email.</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p><FONT face=Arial color=#000000 size=2> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT face=Arial color=#000000 size=2>Any views expressed by an individual within this email which do not constitute or record professional advice relating to the business of Colin Buchanan, do not necessarily reflect the views of the company. Any professional advice or opinion contained within this email is subject to our terms and conditions of business.</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><o:p><FONT face=Arial color=#000000 size=2> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT face=Arial color=#000000 size=2>We have taken precautions to minimise the risk of transmitting software viruses. We do not accept liability for any loss or damage caused by software viruses.</FONT></P>
<P align=center></FONT></FONT> </P></HTML>