[sustran] Re: Updates on Delhi bus crisis

[SAVE BOMBAY COMMITEE]

SAVE BOMBAY COMMITEE wrote:

>
>
> Kerry's  reply dated 13.04.2000 was enlightening.  At present the
> government policy is of promoting use of diesel.  All public buses and
> heavy duty trucks  operate on diesel cheaper in price than bottled
> mineral water.  Public Transport Undertaking has introduced less than
> ten CNG operating  buses in the total fleet of 3500 buses.
>
> Cycles are getting out as   man's mode of traffic due to serious
> traffic hazard  because roads are full of  private cars  and heavy
> duty vehicles.  Though cycles are more efficient (I agree with you),
> car owners are not ready to go over to cycles or even leave the cars
> at home.  In Indian  cities motor cycles outnumber all modes for
> movement,  Cycles riding cannot be safe till cycle lanes are provided
> and effectively guarded.
>
> Bus lanes are rare however reserving only one 3.5 m wide lane is
> workable even for buses.  In Mumbai some of the main corridors carry
> between 25 to 50 bus routes.  Buses move in platoons resulting in
> severe delays.  In crowded roads, buses move at an average spped of
> 8-10 km an hour. Roads are over crowded.  Pavements are encroached by
> parked vehicles,  hawkers, shop extensions,  waste bins of different
> sizes some of  2m x 4m in ht  of 2.5 m.  Motor cycles jump over to
> pavements to bypass vehicular traffic jams .  We have had no occasion
> to see the two manuals you have referred and difficult to locate in
> India.   Can you kindly obtain for us.
>
> The fact that the Delhi authorities could not think of providing
> protection and safety to cycles even in the crisis created by sudden
> withdrawal of old buses shows that cycles are not considered as an
> efficient mode of traffic.  More cars will come on road because car
> owning is encouraged and there is substantial drop in the prices of
> second hand cars.  Best wishes,
>
> Kisan Mehta
> President
> Save Bombay Committee
> 620 Jame Jamshed Road, Dadar East,
> MUMBAI  - 400 014
> Tel 00 91 22 414 96 88
> Fax 00 91 22 415 55 36
>
>