Pune's BRTS update

Stating that the pilot Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS) corridor in Pune is still just a “dedicated bus lane service”, union joint secretary (Urban Development department) S K Lohia said that improvements on the corridor are expected by June 30. After visiting the BRTS cycle tracks, Lohia expressed satisfaction about the cycle track work. “As compared to my last visit, a lot of work has been done. Quite a lot of stretch is completed. I am sure it will take a proper shape in a few months,” Lohia said. When asked about the accidents on the BRTS route, Lohia said that the problem occurs because the project is yet to be properly implemented. “The work that has been completed can be termed as ‘dedicated bus lane service’ as the other components of a BRTS project like route rationalisation, intelligent traffic management services are yet to be implemented. According to the report that I have received, the accidents on the route have infact reduced.” “I travelled in a bus through the route today and spoke to commuters. People are certainly satisfied with the services,” Lohia said. He added that orders have been issued to complete ITES in the next couple of months and procure buses by June 30. “We have decided that two types of buses — low-floor AC and normal non-AC buses — should be purchased. Changes will be seen after these buses start running,” Lohia said, adding that the work on the corridor will be review in the next one month. Municipal commissioner Pravinsinh Pardeshi, development engineer Shrinivas Bonala and representatives of various NGOs Jugal Rathi also visited the cycle tracks on cycles.

The country’s first BRTS remains incomplete

More than two years ago, Pune’s Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS) was inaugurated with political fanfare. The Rs 62-crore project is far from complete. A first in the country at that time—December 2006—the pilot project on the 16.5km Katraj-Swargate-Hadapsar route was started hastily, two months before the civic general elections. Traffic experts termed it a “dedicated bus service’’ and not a BRTS. The project lacked necessities, such as pedestrian ways and cycle tracks, not to mention proper bus-stops, off-board ticketing and systems to monitor bus movement. Accidents, many fatal, occurred due to the unchecked movement of pedestrians. As the carriage width of the road was reduced due to reserving lanes for buses, the movement of other vehicles slowed down. The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), which has since then decided to complete the pilot BRTS in all aspects, stretched deadlines twice, but has still not completed it. The fresh deadline is March 31. At a PMC general body meeting, municipal commissioner Pravinsinh Pardeshi admitted that there were problems. “No provisions were made for underpasses and pedestrian crossings,’’ Pardeshi said. After the pilot project, the corporation has plans to implement the BRTS on at least 11 roads. Incidentally, in neigbhouring Pimpri-Chinchwad, the municipal corporation has started work on a BRTS on a 13km stretch from Nigdi to Dapodi. The corporation is going slow on the project as it does not want to repeat the mistakes of Pune.