29.1.12

Pune BRTS snippets

Inconsistencies in planning and implementation of the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) projects in Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad by both municipal corporations, has spurred the central government to push for a consistent and consolidated project for the Pune Metropolitan Region. The union urban development department has asked the Pune Municipal Corporation to take up works to connect two BRT routes – the first on the Aundh-Ravet corridor and the old Mumbai Pune highway. These two routes are being developed by Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation. The directions, which came at a high-level meeting attended by municipal commissioners Mahesh Pathak and Ashish Sharma, also said that the concept of a dedicated BRT should not be compromised at any cost. The ministry has suggested that the design of the existing corridor on the pilot route between Katraj-Swargate and Swargate-Hadapsar should be revised to include a fully segregated BRT. One of the important changes in the offing could be that bus stations will now be located in the median. About operations and planning, ministry officials have said that the BRT in the Pune metropolitan region should be closed-hybrid – that is only BRT buses can operate inside the dedicated lanes and no other buses should be allowed.

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