BRTS had failed in Mumbai and other cities of India.

BRTS is introduced worldwide for two reasons. First there should be a fast and confortable medium of transport and second reason it will make people in cars switch to BRTS which will decrease the traffic on road.

But whats happening is totally reverse.The BRTS authorities fee that BRTS will enable the common man to whiz across like wealthy persons while travelling in the city and on the other hand they want people travelling in car to use BRTS.


The reason anyone uses car is first is the comfort and second is speed in travel. Is BRTS in MUMBAI and other states offering that. The answer is NO.


The current BRTS has too many stops, which adds to the delay.Currently there is a conductor to issue tickets and even short distance people take the ride and make the bus crowded. Like a person will catch a bus at Kandivali and get down at Goregaon.

This should be stopped. First step should be increase in BRTS fare for ticket holder and say minimum fare of Rs 45. This will help the overcrowding of the BRTS and there should be preference to pass holders.

During peak hours like 7:15 am to 10 a.m and 6 pm to 9 om there should be seperate BRTS buses only for pass holders and it should not allow anyone in between, only getting down must be allowed at selected stops.

Increase the monthly fare to Rs 3000, which means less crowd, a car traveller will not like someone pushing him with his bag when he is sitting on seat, or some one trying to seequeze or making noise , singing songs etc. Costly means decent crowd.


People travel in car for comfort, ac,quite environment and no botheration of disturabance from irratting people.

BRTS should be like a first class comparntment, other buses like II or third class.

Best can also tie up with MERU and Mega cab, to get people picked up from their home and dropped daily to bus depot / home only at Rs 1500 per month. Minimum should be 5 kms radius from the home to depot.


So if you calculate Rs 3000 (Monthly pass) + Rs 500 (parking charges) + Rs 1500 (Cab charges) the total comes to RS 5000. That is nothing for car owners as, when he uses his car he spends more. The Petrol cost is around Rs 6000 p.m from Dahishar to Nariman point, Rs 4500 p.m from Thane to Nariman point, Parking charges in Nariman point is Rs 1000 p.m. Driver Salary is around Rs 7000 + overtime etc. So the total monthly expense for petrol cars comes around Rs 14,000 p.m.

So if the BRTS can provide the same confort as car. Then i am sure that all car owners will switch to BRTS and leave their cars at home.

Also BRTS authorities can Deploy mini buses to get people to the BRTS staring point or depots from major localities.

Think with all those cars gone off the road and parking places, How much space will be there on roads and then there will be less traffic jam on the road. So no need for special lanes for BRTS.

Create a multistorey parking places on Thane / Dahishar/Backbay/ Nariman Point-Mantralaya/Sion/ Bandra Best bus depot so that people can come and park their cars and catch BRTS. Charge Rs 500 pm in the pass only for parking. This way BEST will earn additional income.

Also if they make pass compulsory in BRTS this will give them huge amount of money even before the bus hits roads. They have to arrange to Online refiiling of the pass instead of current practise of goining to selected bus depots for refill. Also refill by phone and voucher.

If BRTS is used the way it is being used now for common men, it will start running in losses and for the BRTS authorities it will be difficult to recover the operating cost and maintaneance. The BRTS future will be like the RED Ac bus of BEST which are in pathetic condition today.

Also regrading dedicated lanes for BRTS in Mumbai and other cities. You cannot expect this to work when there is no sense of traffic. Will a auto rickshaw driver keep a whole lane to his right vacant while he is stuck in a jam.The answer is NO.Our politician need to get a reality check and work with ideas that are grounded in the dirt and reality of our streets and work through the minds of the average man on the street.

So BRTS authorities wake up before its too late.

Ahmedabad gets India's first full-fledged BRT system

Mumbai/ Ahmedabad: Ahmedabad Bus Rapid Transport System (BRTS), touted as the country's first such full fledged project, was launched on Wednesday. With the launch, the city now gets around 25 BRTS buses plying on a 12.5 km stretch from RTO to Chandranagar of the total 55 km of phase one. At a project cost of Rs 80 crore, the 12.5 km long first section of phase one was launched by Narendra Modi, chief minister of Gujarat from Chandranagar.


"This is the first such full fledged BRTS project in the country because similar projects in Delhi and Pune do not carry systems like control room, IT infrastructure, dedicated buses, etc. The Delhi BRT, rather, is primarily a road infrastructure project or high-capacity bus service in which all types of buses run in a lane designed for the BRTS," said Dilip Mahajan, deputy municipal commissioner, Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC).


Officially named as 'Janmarg' by Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi, Ahmedabad BRTS is being rolled out under the the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) scheme of the Central government. The project's phase one will be completed by March 2010, Mahajan added.

While phase one will cover the stretch from Naroda to Civil Hospital, phase two is expected to cover areas like Bopal, Aslali, Chandkheda, Odhav and Kalupur. According to Mahajan, phase two will also see an elevated BRTS route from New Cloth Market to Prem Darwaja near Kalupur.

The total cost of the project is estimated to be around Rs 1,000 crore. For parking, the first few lines near the bus station would be alloted for autorickshaws after which there will be space alloted for the two-wheelers and cars. Points of entry for passengers are the vibrant bus stands that dot the BRTS corridor at 500-metre intervals.


Ahmedabad BRT Janmarg from EMBARQ Network on Vimeo.


Source: Business Standard
Reference:
http://news.in.msn.com/national/article.aspx?cp-documentid=3295498

Ahmedabad BRT gifts first woman driver to Gujarat

Ahmedabad: The Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS) in Ahmedabad is set to give the state arguably its first female bus driver. Kalpana Soni is currently honing her bus-driving skills under Chartered Logistics Ltd, which has received the contract from Ahmedabad Janmarg Ltd (AJL) to manage the bus operations in the city.

Soni may well be steering the BRTS buses on the corridor, rubbing shoulders with her male counterparts before the official launch of the transit system in Ahmedabad. "We have been looking for a female driver to operate a BRTS bus. But only after a long search did we find Kalpana," said Pankaj Gandhi of Chartered Logistics. He said he was keen to hire a female driver as they are sincere, punctual and soft-spoken.

"I was inspired to rope in female drivers when I saw how well they could take charge of buses in countries like China. Iam trying to rope in more female drivers. If all goes, the Ahmedabad BRTS will set an example for others to follow," Gandhi said. "Unlike the common image of female drivers, Kalpana is picking up her skills very quickly and with efficiency," Gandhi said.

Soni, who belongs to a well-settled family, earlier ran a driving school in Ahmedabad, claiming to have taught around 1,000 people till date. "Initially, I was very nervous while holding the steering of the bus. It is undeniably a heavy vehicle for a woman to drive. But Pankaj Gandhi convinced me to take up the job and gave me a train to learn how to drive on the BRTS corridor," Soni said.

Soni may be excited about becoming arguably the first female bus driver in Gujarat, but the work has not been a cakewalk. "The societal status attached with the post of a driver was a hurdle for me. My son was a bit hesitant about me steering a BRTS bus. But I explained to him that I would be system operator and not just a driver, as I will be handling a lot of other operations while driving," she said.

Ref:

http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_ahmedabad-brt-gifts-first-woman-driver-to-gujarat_1291889

http://www.saurashtrasamachar.net/article/090921163219_female_driver/453353.html

SMC approves second BRTS corridor

SURAT: The Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC) has approved the second phase of the Rs 228 crore Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS) corridor project connecting Dumas with Sarthana on Tuesday. Sources said this is the first time in SMC's history that a single project worth the said amount has been approved.

The 19-km-long second BRTS corridor will start from Dumas Resort near Piplod and connect Sarthana octroi post. A 200-metre wide BRTS road will be constructed from Dumas Resort to Anuvrat gate route at City Light. A canal corridor will also be constructed on both sides of the City Light Canal at Khatodara and Puna.

Sources said the SMC has proposed to come up with restaurant outside the bus stop, overbridge to facilitate commuters to walk on the other side of the canal, garden, link road, picnic points and light vehicle tracks.

The first BRTS corridor project worth Rs 78 crore connecting Udhna Darwaja and Sachin was approved by the SMC last month. The 10.2-km-long BRTS corridor was approved with flyover bridge, three sub-ways, walkers' track, pavement, cement concrete road, state-of-the-art bus stop.

Mukesh Dalal, chairman, standing committee, said, "The first and the second BRTS corridor projects have been approved. The construction work on the BRTS corridors is likely to start soon after the tendering process is completed."

Dalal said a delegation of the ruling party members in the SMC would go on a study tour to Pune to understand the BRTS corridor project there. Earlier, the ruling party leaders and the civic chief had been to Brazil to study the BRTS project.

Ref:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/news/city/surat/SMC-approves-second-BRTS-corridor/articleshow/5048162.cms

AC bus stops mooted for BRTS project

VIJAYAWADA: The city would have a rare distinction in the entire country if an idea of the Vijayawada Municipal Corporation (VMC) materialises.


The VMC proposes to have air-conditioned (AC) bus stops for the proposed Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS) project. No other city in the country, including Ahmedabad and Delhi where BRTS project is being implemented, have AC bus stops.

Build Own Transfer (BOT) basis :
Official sources say that Prakash Arts, the leading outdoor advertising agency, has been given the contract for designing the bus stops for BRTS project. The contract is awarded on Build Own Transfer (BOT) basis. The agency would generate revenue by using the interiors and exteriors of bus stop for advertising purposes. The first phase of the BRTS project will have 31 bus stops – each at a distance of 500 metres – and 17 traffic junctions.

The sources say that the corporation is contemplating constructing at least half of the bus stops with AC facility. Prakash Ads reportedly gave three designs to the corporation, and they are pending approval.

While an AC bus stop is likely to cost anywhere between Rs. 14 lakhs and Rs. 16 lakhs, an ordinary bus stop would cost between Rs. 8 lakhs and Rs. 10 lakhs.

Shatterproof Glass for BRTS Buses in Mumbai

The Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) has decided to make the windows of its air-conditioned bus fleet, which also includes Kinglong buses, bullet proof.

A private firm will provide the bulletproof sun protection UV films for the glasses of the windows in exchange of advertising rights said Dilip Patel, chairman of the undertaking.

Under the contract, BEST will earn around Rs 6,700 per bus and it will be extended to all new AC buses to be procured.

"The films will provide 99% UV protection and are also heat and scratch resistant. In case of a breakage, the glass will hold 95% of the fragments as compared to the usual 65%. This will help protect buses from vandalism," said Patel.

Presently, BEST has 50 Kinglong and 20 regular AC buses. The fleet will be augmented by another 200 by the end of this year.

"There are around 7-8 glasses on either side of the bus with two big glasses in the front and rear. Each glass would cost more than Rs 10,000,' Patel added.

Source:Times of India-roana.costa@timesgroup.com

Auto stands on BRTS route to help ease congestion

Reinforcing Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) Commissioner IP Gautam’s promise that BRTS would be for all, the civic body has decided to create space to park autorickshaws along the first phase of BRTS bus corridor between RTO and Chandranagar.

The Ahmedabad Janmarg Limited (AJL), a body constituted by AMC for executing the BRTS project in the city, would set up auto stands on either side of each BRTS bus stop platform as well as at traffic junctions. The stands near each BRTS bus stop would accommodate 25-30 rickshaws, said sources.

With 20 bus stops between RTO and Chandranagar and four junctions at Akhabarnagar, Bhavsar Hostel, Nehrunagar and Anjali, 44 auto stands are on the cards along the BRTS corridor.Claiming that the auto stands would make BRTS more accessible to the residents of the city, Shivanand Swamy, the project team leader of AJL said: “The auto stands will enhance the accessibility of BRTS. For, these will help passengers reach BRTS stops by autorickshaws. Besides, they will get rickshaws immediately after alighting from buses.” The stands will also help ease traffic congestion due to haphazard parking of autos on BRTS corridor, Swamy said. Echoing Swamy, Deputy Municipal Commissioner UC Padia said: “The stands will help us get rid of casual parking of autorickshaws, obstructing traffic on the BRTS corridor.” Claiming that enough space had been earmarked for autorickshaw stands along the BRTS corridor, Swamy said: “Taking into count the number of autos parked on the BRTS corridor at present, the space allotted for auto stands is more than enough.”

The stands are expected to accommodate 650 autos. According to AMC, at present around 300 rickshaws are parked along the BRTS corridor stretching over 13 km between RTO and Chandranagar. Stand count⇒ No. of auto stands at each BRTS bus stop: 4⇒ Total auto stands near BRTS bus stops: 80⇒ No. of auto stops at junctions on BRTS corridor: 4⇒ Total auto stands along BRTS corridor: 84⇒ The 84 stands will accommodate 650 autorickshaws

Reference:
http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/index.aspx?page=article&sectid=3&contentid=2009080720090807031523203373a3cbd&sectxslt=&pageno=1