Lessons to make BRT work

A year and a half after the chaotic launch of bus rapid transit in Delhi, BRT has been introduced in Ahmedabad to an altogether different reception. As several other cities are pursuing similar projects it is necessary to compare the two and learn useful lessons which can take the idea forward. The two projects may bear the same name but they are quite different in many ways. BRT was introduced in Delhi on a very busy section already extensively used by public transport. Therefore there was the issue of making a successful transition. On the other hand, BRT has been launched in Ahmedabad on a lightly used highway-like stretch. It is as easy to make a success of the latter as it is difficult to get going the former. So the first lesson is that to gain support for a new idea it is better to initially go for the low hanging fruit and then for more difficult tasks while showcasing the initial 'success'.

Another critical difference between the Delhi and Ahmedabad projects is that the former lacked ownership whereas the latter had it in full measure. The nodal authority for the project in Delhi came in well after the project was on the way, whereas the Ahmedabad project came under the clear ownership of a nodal authority from day one. Half the Delhi administration and the entire police were initially opposed to the project. Even today, the police will have nothing to do with it and minimum discipline along the route is being sought to be enforced through private security guards. On the other hand, Gujarat chief minister, Narendra Modi, who is known to brook no opposition, put his full authority behind the Ahmedabad project. So the second lesson is that the political leadership has to take ownership in order to ensure success.

It is necessary for an all round buy-in for a BRT project because it is no ordinary traffic reengineering exercise and represents a wholesale change in traffic and transportation priorities. The culture change that must accompany the exercise cannot otherwise be ensured. As the Indian middle class has prospered and car ownership multiplied, most of the traffic solutions — flyovers, signal free stretches — have been geared to addressing the needs of the individual car owner. On the other hand, emerging issues like conserving fossil fuels, mitigating global warming and giving priority to the vast majority of Indians who do not own any kind of motorised transport have underlined the need to give the right of way not just to buses, but bicycles and walkers too. BRT does just that by restoring the balance among road users in favour of public transport, cyclists and walkers with dedicated corridors for all of them.

Returning the space to walkers is particularly important as not only are most journeys in India still undertaken on foot, walking is socially useful (saves energy) and a health priority for the middle class. BRT should be at the core of a new emphasis on public transport which, wherever road space does not permit dedicated corridors, will consist of making more low-floor, energy efficient buses available. Once public transport has been suitably strengthened and people do not have to take their cars out as there is no other option, taxes on cars have to be raised to discourage car ownership, as has been done for long in Singapore.