Following its success in designing and planning assistance of the Ahmedabad Bus Rapid Transport System (BRTS), the Center for Environmental Planning and Technology (CEPT) University has now bagged a similar project for Vadodara BRTS.
To begin with, the urban infrastructure and environment planning institute will be preparing a detailed project report (DPR) envisaging design, structures and engineering dynamics of Vadodara BRTS project in next 5-6 months, said Shivanand Swamy, associate professor, CEPT University.
The project report will include detailed planning of roadway as well as development of other supporting infrastructure and operating systems.
"We had received an initial approval from the Standing Committee of VMC recently, following which we have roped in CEPT for developing a detailed project report for the BRTS. While, on our part, we have started mapping the routes, CEPT would be conducting a physical research of the city for the project," said RK Sugoor, deputy municipal commissioner of VMC, adding that a request has also been sent to the Government of India (GoI) for a formal approval of the project.
Once approved by GoI, the Vadodara BRTS project would fall under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JnNURM), thereby bringing about 80 per cent of project cost burden on the Centre.
Taking a cue from its Ahmedabad counterpart, the Vadodara BRTS project will look to ease heavy traffic density in certain areas and provide better connectivity.
"A GoI study sometime back had suggested that BRTS would be a suitable mode of transport for Vadodara. Adopting the results of the study, we proposed the project recently to the Standing Committee. The idea is to give a rapid response to heavily populated areas like Sayajigunj-Pratapgunj bus station and old city areas. Also, we hope to offer quick access to the highway for these areas," said Sugoor.
Meanwhile, to complement the BRTS project, VMC is also looking to adjust the existing transport system. "We are also planning to develop separate feeder routes for smaller vehicles which will then be connected to BRTS," Sugoor added.
