Ahmedabad BRTS

Ahmedabad BRTS

The Ahmedabad Bus Rapid Transit System is a rapid transit system established in Ahmedabad in 2009. Primarily created to reduce traffic congestion, the system has been widely regarded as the best BRT model to be followed not just in the country but around the world. The network expanded to 89 kilometers by December 2017 with daily ridership of 349, 000 passenger and spans over 14 lines covering 150 stations.

There have been much analysis done on the success story of the Ahmedabad BRTS and these have resulted in the following factors:

·      Pre-boarding fare collection and fare verification

·      Low-emission vehicle technologies.

·      System management through a centralised control centre, utilising ITS applications such as automatic vehicle location

·      Clear route maps, signage, and / or real-time information displays that are visibly placed within stations and / or vehicles

·      Low-cost infrastructure elements that can increase the speed and reliability of bus service include bus turnouts, bus boarding islands, and curb realignments

·      Buses successfully avoiding congestion without the need for long sections of dedicated bus lanes

Apart from this, Ahmedabad Janmarg Limited (AJL) has also proved to be a technological-savvy operator as they have incorporated intelligent transit system (ITS) features within the BRTS. Hopefully, this would continue to alleviate the problems in the metro city.

(Image Credits: Business Line)

Indore Metro- En Route to be completed

Indore Metro- En Route to be completed

Apart from Delhi Metro, none of the other intercity transit systems can be described as a qualified success. Yet, every major city-whether Tier 1, 2 or 3 have been investing heavily into it. Backed by DMRC, Indore has almost completed its metro system and it would start operations by end of this decade.
At present, the Metro would cover 89 stations across 5 lines with a daily ridership of 250,000. For financing, the Madhya Pradesh state government had taken a loan to the tune of Rs 12000 crores from JICA and Softbank for both Indore and Bhopal Metro. In the latest news, work on the first phase of Line 3 is expected to start next month while provision facilities for other stations are being developed at present.
It would be interesting to see what advantages would the system bring to a city such as Indore. Would the costs outweigh the benefits or would all the investments pay off ultimately? Watch this space for more!

The Auckland Project

The Auckland Project

Considered to be one of the most ambitious urban planning project initiated in recent times, the Auckland Plan 2050 aims the city to be the world’s most habitable metropolis by then. It plans to increase its population level by 50%, which requires more than 300,000 new houses while the economy has to absorb 250,000 people in the economy. This population growth needs to be managed from creating housing, jobs to schools, hospitals to recreational facilities.
“In the process, (the project would) address transport and housing shortages, create more jobs and protect the environment. With its city rail link, green expansion strategy, and social housing and schools, the holistic approach brings together communities, government, businesses, educational institutions, social agencies developers and financiers” (KPMG).
There is a proposed alternative to the existing transport network which would be an integrated transport system connecting people, places, goods and services. The plan would also better integrate land-use and transport decisions more than the original 2012 Auckland Plan.