<div> 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 </div> <div> </div> <div>  </div> <div class="gmail_quote">2009/1/29 Karthik Rao Cavale <<a href="mailto:krc12353@gmail.com">krc12353@gmail.com</a>> <blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="PADDING-LEFT: 1ex; MARGIN: 0px 0px 0px 0.8ex; BORDER-LEFT: #ccc 1px solid">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?) <a href="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Cities/Mumbai/88_passengers_train_gun_on_a_cool_trip/articleshow/4039026.cms" target="_blank">http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Cities/Mumbai/88_passengers_train_gun_on_a_cool_trip/articleshow/4039026.cms</a> and <a href="http://www.mid-day.com/news/2009/jan/180109-air-conditioned-locals-expensive-second-class-commuters-Mumbai-News-refusals.htm" target="_blank">http://www.mid-day.com/news/2009/jan/180109-air-conditioned-locals-expensive-second-class-commuters-Mumbai-News-refusals.htm</a> 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 -------------------------------------------------------- IMPORTANT NOTE to everyone who gets sustran-discuss messages via YAHOOGROUPS. Please go to <a href="http://list.jca.apc.org/manage/listinfo/sustran-discuss" target="_blank">http://list.jca.apc.org/manage/listinfo/sustran-discuss</a> to join the real sustran-discuss and get full membership rights. The yahoogroups version is only a mirror and 'members' there cannot post to the real sustran-discuss (even if the yahoogroups site makes it seem like you can). Apologies for the confusing arrangement. ================================================================ SUSTRAN-DISCUSS is a forum devoted to discussion of people-centred, equitable and sustainable transport with a focus on developing countries (the 'Global South'). </blockquote></div> -- Sudhir Gota Transport Specialist CAI-Asia Center Unit 3510, 35th Floor, Robinsons-Equitable Tower, ADB Avenue, Ortigas Center, Pasig City Metro Manila, Philippines 1605 Tel: +63-2-395-2843 Fax: +63-2-395-2846 <a href="http://www.cleanairnet.org/caiasia">http://www.cleanairnet.org/caiasia</a> Skype : sudhirgota