BRTS : Bus Rapid Transit System
Pune will be starting BRT routes along Solapur Road and Satara Road shortly. There has been a lot of discussion and debate around BRT. Public at large however may still be unclear about what BRT is, why it being done in Pune and the overall plan. In a series of articles, we hope to bring better understanding to the public who have read more about the political events surrounding BRT rather than about BRT itself.
Public Transport is the most effective means of moving people. That is the first principle of urban transport policy; to provide mobility to people , not vehicles. A single bus carrying 60 people occupies a fraction of the road space that would be occupied if they all travelled in a car or even on 2-wheelers. Congestion can thus be reduced if more people use a bus and do not have to use their own vehicles. In addition the pollution from a bus per person is less than a 2-wheeler and much less that a car. We must also not forget that fuel is a fast dwindling commodity and the biggest expense for the nation, having cost Rs 1,50,000 crores last year.
In order for Public Transport to be attractive it must be convenient, comfortable and reliable. It also needs to be affordable and speedy. |
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Typically, rail based modes such as trams, urban rail (locals) and Metro provide such a service. They are however very expensive and also need a long time to build. Is there a way to create a bus-based system that has all the qualities of a Metro? The answer is Bus Rapid Transit - BRT.
The first requirement is to have a right of way. This is accomplished by having a dedicated lane for the bus. This allows a bus to travel fast. Since the bus will never be stuck in traffic, it also allows it to travel as per schedule. A large number of buses can run in the dedicated lane thereby increasing the frequency of buses too. |
| Another quality of a train is that it carries a large number of passengers and commuters are able to board and alight from it quickly. BRT buses must therefore be large capacity, with low-floor, and large doors. Also bus-shelters have a raised platform, like that of a train station, so that passengers can get inside and off a bus quickly and easily.
Anyone who has taken a ride on the Delhi Metro will have been impressed.While a BRT can never match the speed or capacity of the metro, many features that we take for granted in a metro are incorporated into BRT. |
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BRT bus shelters are supposed to be modern, clean and comfortable for the commuter. BRT buses are fitted with GPS which enables real time information to be transmitted to each bus shelter so that a commuter always knows when the next bus will arrive. Simple to understand maps are displayed so that using the bus becomes easy even for a first time user. BRT should also have off-bus ticketing, just like for trains, so that commuters can buy tickets at the bus-shelter before boarding the bus.
In this fashion the simple bus-based public transport system can be made to run almost like a metro, at a fraction of the cost. While the Delhi Metro cost Rs 160 crores/km, BRT in Pune will be built at Rs 5 crores/km!
Another feature being used in the Pune BRT is the central dedicated lane. While a side dedicated lane is also possible, most BRT systems in the world use the central lane. |
The reasons are as follows. There are a lot of side lanes on our roads and vehicles entering or exiting these lanes would have to "puncture" the BRT lane, which is not desirable. Left turning traffic would also impede the movement of buses in the lane. While the same if true of right turning traffic for the central lane, this is overcome by the use of signal timing at each intersection. Central lanes however give rise to an interesting question. How do commuters access the buses? The answer is bus shelters in the centre of the road! This seems like a very strange solution, but it is one that has worked in all such BRT systems in the world. The bus shelters are placed just before each intersection. Commuters must use the pedestrian crossing to get to and from the bus shelters.
The idea of a dedicated lane for buses, while welcome to current and potential BRT users must surely be welcome, what happens to the other traffic? Currently buses stop at the side of the road but typically cross to the centre while travelling. This impedes the flow of the rest of the traffic. Central dedicated lane for buses, will in fact allow for a smoother flow for the rest of the vehicles. Additionally, BRT in India, according to Dr. Geetam Tiwari of IIT Delhi/TRIPP who helped Pune with its BRT design, must include footpaths and cycle tracks. This makes the road safe for pedestrians and cyclists and also removes slow-moving traffic from the main road carriageway, further improving the flow of traffic. Many of our roads are also not fully utilized. You will often see "dead space" on the left side, where vehicles are haphazardly parked, debris is lying around etc. Even with a 3-lane width, only 1½ or 2 lanes of moving traffic is possible. BRT requires the full use of the road, thus allowing this "dead space" to be reclaimed.
Finally a word on discipline. Central lanes and central bus shelters clearly require an added effort to impose discipline at the intersections. Given the current situation, this in itself will be much welcomed by Pune citizens. |
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