BRT: Delhi's corridor of chaos
For ages, Delhi has been trying to get or at least commuters have been pining for an efficient public transport system. The Delhi Transport Corporation, despite two or three name and livery changes continues with all the inefficiencies associated with a public sector operation.
The fares are kept low to ensure that it meets the so-called "social justice" objectives. This could range from running unprofitable routes to places where the janta do not believe in paying the fare to the ridiculous pampering of the student community with an all route pass for just Rs 12.50, set way back in mid-1970s! No wonder that the behemoth could never hope to break even, let alone think of making a profit.
Into this scenario came the Delhi Metro, a state-of-the-art rail-based transport network that makes it mandatory for everyone using it to pay and travel and no concessions to any sections. This offers clean efficient air-conditioned train service. It may seem to be a relatively expensive mode of transport but without money, how can anything be made to work? Social comitments can be met only if you have money in the kitty. Otherwise, it would be yet another white elephant.
It is in this context that one should look at the Bus Rapid Transport (BRT) corridor. the hitherto neglected buses are having the right of the way and the cars and other private vehicles are getting squeezed into the middle lane. The remedy, apparently, is to widen the road and teach lane driving behaviour to the users. Quite often, one gets stuck behind an auto rickshaw doing 20 km in a 50 km speed limit stretch. Such slow vehicles should be in the slow lane and the faster ones like cars should be in a lane where it should be mandatory for the vehicles to maintain a constant speed and correct distance between vehicles to prevent accidents.
Facilities for pedestrians/bus commuters should be such that there would be no need for them to come in conflict with the vehicles. This can be ensured by providing subways and elevated pdestrian crossings at regular intervals.
It is stull early days for the BRT. The system is in place only in a very small stretch and the number of buses plying are quite inadequate. If the authorities can ensure buses, say a/c and non-a/c ones alternating at regular intervals, quite a lot of the two-wheeler, three-wheeler and car users would prefer this form of transport.
The fares are kept low to ensure that it meets the so-called "social justice" objectives. This could range from running unprofitable routes to places where the janta do not believe in paying the fare to the ridiculous pampering of the student community with an all route pass for just Rs 12.50, set way back in mid-1970s! No wonder that the behemoth could never hope to break even, let alone think of making a profit.
Into this scenario came the Delhi Metro, a state-of-the-art rail-based transport network that makes it mandatory for everyone using it to pay and travel and no concessions to any sections. This offers clean efficient air-conditioned train service. It may seem to be a relatively expensive mode of transport but without money, how can anything be made to work? Social comitments can be met only if you have money in the kitty. Otherwise, it would be yet another white elephant.
It is in this context that one should look at the Bus Rapid Transport (BRT) corridor. the hitherto neglected buses are having the right of the way and the cars and other private vehicles are getting squeezed into the middle lane. The remedy, apparently, is to widen the road and teach lane driving behaviour to the users. Quite often, one gets stuck behind an auto rickshaw doing 20 km in a 50 km speed limit stretch. Such slow vehicles should be in the slow lane and the faster ones like cars should be in a lane where it should be mandatory for the vehicles to maintain a constant speed and correct distance between vehicles to prevent accidents.
Facilities for pedestrians/bus commuters should be such that there would be no need for them to come in conflict with the vehicles. This can be ensured by providing subways and elevated pdestrian crossings at regular intervals.
It is stull early days for the BRT. The system is in place only in a very small stretch and the number of buses plying are quite inadequate. If the authorities can ensure buses, say a/c and non-a/c ones alternating at regular intervals, quite a lot of the two-wheeler, three-wheeler and car users would prefer this form of transport.
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