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| 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. |
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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. |
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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. |
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