Ahmedabad rapid bus system catches fancy of several countries
Vinay Umarji / Ahmedabad Aug 22, 2010, 00:18 IST
Malaysia, Indonesia, Tanzania among others study the city’s bus rapid transport system.
Despite a four-wheeler and a couple of two-wheelers parked at his residence, Manubhai Dhruva prefers to take the public transport. Ask him the reason and the 78-year-old retired English lecturer answers with a smile, “It takes me a good 10-15 minutes less to travel by bus than my own vehicle.”
The public transport in question is the Ahmedabad Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS).
IP Gautam, municipal commissioner, Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) and chairman, Ahmedabad Janmarg Limited (AJL), a special purpose vehicle set up for BRTS, said, “To tap the success of the project after almost 10 months, we recently interviewed a group of doctors at Civil Hospital who used to commute by cars. The results were quite encouraging. Ever since they began commuting on BRTS and the feeder buses, they have been able to save 70 per cent time and 50 per cent conveyance cost.”
“We gradually intend to move from the lesser congested areas in Ahmedabad where we have been highly successful to highly congested areas in some of the eastern parts of the city. Moreover, the aim behind the project is to reduce the use of private vehicles, reduce congestion and increase use of public transport.”
Such has been the success of the Ahmedabad BRTS that the project has caught the fancy of not just the local commuters but of several nations. Representatives of countries, including Tanzania, Lagos, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Dar es Salaam, have visited the city to study and adopt the system.
Today, Ahmedabad BRTS, officially known as ‘Janmarg’, offers commuters an average speed of 27 km per hour — one of the highest among public road transport in the country. Its dedicated corridor and bus stations running through the middle of the road offers commuters easy access to both sides of the road.
“Not just did we win some global awards like the Best Sustainable Transport Award and Best Mass Rapid Transit System but also caught the attention of other countries who now want to study and adopt the success of Janmarg. The project's success has put Ahmedabad and Gujarat on the global map,” said Shivanand Swamy, associate professor, CEPT University and team leader of the BRTS project.
The Ahmedabad BRTS has also been successful in tapping private vehicles owners and users. When its services were launched in October 2009, Janmarg saw about 22 per cent, 21 per cent and zero per cent of two wheeler, three wheeler and four wheeler users respectively move from these private vehicles to the new public transport. After almost 10 months, this shift has risen to 24.5 per cent, 23.5 per cent and two per cent, respectively. Also, of the total 18,000-odd passengers per day on Janmarg, 57 per cent were previously using AMTS which has come down to 50 per cent for a whopping 65,000 passengers per day.
"We have already provided parking facilities at major BRTS bus stations and traffic junctions to encourage people to park their two wheelers and four wheelers and opt for BRTS for faster commuting," adds Gautam. What's more. AJL is planning to build at least four major parking zones at areas including Bopal and Narol to encourage two-wheeler and four-wheeler users to shun their vehicles for BRTS.
While Janmarg's phase one was completed on June 2009, the project was commercially launched only in October 14, 2009. Backed by a detailed project report (DPR) prepared by CEPT University, the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC), led by municipal commissioner IP Gautam, took the initiative to follow the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JnNURM) guidelines on urban mobility and announced the BRTS project in 2005-06. With the project being approved in November 2006 at an investment of Rs 981.45 crore, the work on BRTS commenced in 2007 for the first phase of 12.5 km from RTO to Pirana, wherein around Rs 492.39 crore has been spent, through a special purpose vehicle (SPV) called Ahmedabad Janmarg Limited (AJL).
To boost its popularity, authorities offered free rides to commuters for the first three months. Moreover, special rides for prominent businessmen, doctors, students, politician, religious leaders, and senior citizens were organised.
But with other cities like New Delhi and Pune building dedicated corridor for such BRT, what makes the Ahmedabad BRTS stand apart? "The launch of such systems in other countries as well as other cities in India allowed us not to repeat some of their mistakes. The project also saw a leadership in the state and local government that was more professional and eager to implement sans the bureaucracy hurdles. Add to that, people involved in the project saw it as their own initiative rather than the government's. Not just other countries but also other BRT projects like Pune and Indore intend to now adopt the Ahmedabad Janmarg model since the 900 mm high floor diesel buses from Tata and bus stations in the middle of the corridor offer a walk-in-walk-out experience.," opines Swamy.
Meanwhile, according to Akhil Brahmbhatt, DGM Operations, AJL, at an average ticket of Rs 5 (from a minimum of Rs 2 to maximum of Rs 11), the project currently earns a daily revenue of Rs 3.5 lakh on a 30 km-odd stretch comprising 43 bus stations. While about 41 buses, operational contract for which has been awarded to Chartered Speed Pvt Ltd (CSPL), are plying on the corridor, AJL has ordered for another 680 buses from Tata Motors as well as Ashok Leyland. Of these, about 20 air-conditioned buses costing Rs 30 lakh and 35 non air-conditioned buses costing Rs 24 lakh will be handed over to CSPL for BRTS, rest costing Rs 23 lakh will be handed over to AMTS to be operated as feeder buses for connecting other routes to BRTS corridor.
In next couple of months, AJL intends to add another 12-13 km to take BRTS from RTO to Naroda, thereby completing the second phase of the project. By then, Janmarg is expected to generate a daily revenue of Rs 6-6.5 lakh from about 120,000-130,000 passengers per day. By March 2012, AJL hopes to take the total length of BRTS corridor to 88 km, covering areas like SG Highway, Sola, Gomptipur, Odhav, and Danapith, apart from an elevated route to Kalupur Railway Station.
Reply to Logic Induction: just check out how many andhra people r working in gujarat,u ll b surprised it will be in may multiplication than gujju working in hyderabad aand banglore.
It is a matter of proud that such success stories are being studied by other countries. On the other hand with in our country cities like Mumbai are not ready to improve upon by learning.
Same project was approved for Mumbai some three four years back (Exact period is not known to me) but was not implemented by authorities reason better known to them. Now they re-initiated to study the same project when the cost of the project has goen to sky high. However if they realy want to implement they can initiate this project atleast in Navi Mumbai and outer Mumbai where the trafic condition is good and less or no infrastructure is required and observe the result.
This will build a trust with in general public and also develop confidence in governence process.
I hope more cities adopt this. Also, better and proactive town planning, low cost housing, bicycle lanes, proper footpaths, parks and trails are needed.
MODI.. for PM..When I visited Gujrat the last time for the NRI conclave along with my friends..We were plesantly surprised to see the plans laid out and implemented by the govt there.. I am looking forward to "The Gift gujrat" project..
Posted by: Ajay Jain
August 27 , 2010, 15:50 IST
My submission is why the system should be a person driven, it should be a system driven. At that point whether it is Modi or any one else. The sovernence system should be such that the show must go on.
People vote for Modi, becoz he keeps on selling old stories packed in new bottle. Similar to this story, where already known things have been compiled again, which has already been written by other newspapers. Seems media has become a mouthpiece of the modi govt in Gujarat.
Posted by: Manish
August 23 , 2010, 21:16 IST
Definately you hadn't visited Gujarat ! You are very unfortunate. To know how Gujarat had grown under Modi's leadership, you need spend more than week's time. Come and experience the Vibrant Gujarat - Ahmedabad.
Posted by: PS
August 22 , 2010, 20:00 IST
Mr Rakesh.. People are not foolish enough to vote based on news reports. If you live in Gujarat then only you will realize what has been done by the government.
Posted by: Rajdeep
August 22 , 2010, 16:43 IST
Media is mainly a mouthpiece of Sonia and her party. This party has delivered absolutely nothing of value to the country in 58 years of misrule, yet media keeps singing their praises. And this BRT story may be known to you, but many of us had no idea outside Gujarat, thanks to the secular media. Kudos to Business Standard for publishing it
Thanks to Modi's administration, he has brought pride to the country. No wonder why Gujaratis vote for Modi.
Posted by: Logic Induction
August 24 , 2010, 11:41 IST
You need to check the facts again, before blowing trumpet ! i wonder why so many Gujarati's are seeking job opportunities in Bangalore and Hyderabad ! Why would people want to move out ???
Posted by: rakesh
August 22 , 2010, 13:16 IST
Gujartis votes Modi, becoz he keeps on selling old stories packed in new bottle to attract his voters. Similarly like this story.. which is old and every one knows about it here in Ahmedabad. Been a well-read citizen i was able to make it out that its nothing but singing the praises of modi govt. its absurd to read same old praises of modi govt again and again. Replying you Mr Eternal, if the media becomes the mouthpiece of Modi then its obvious that people will keep on voting for him. Seems Modi and its govt. machinery has a good rapport with the media persons too...
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