Pune plans another BRTS route

After the pilot bus rapid transit system (BRTS) on Swargate-Katraj-Hadapsar route, it’s the turn of the airport-Baner-Balewadi route to get BRTS.Municipal commissioner Pravinsinh Pardeshi said that the Infrastructure Leasing and Financial Services (IL&FS) has prepared the plan for the BRTS on the Airport-Baner-Balewadi route. “This time we will implement the plan according to the public will. Citizens’ views will be taken into consideration, while implementing the BRTS on this route. We are confident that this route would be a success,” Pardeshi said. He added that discussions were held between the PMPML, PMC and the IL&FS on implementation of the BRTS on airport road. The civic body is confident of completing the pilot project on Swargate-Katraj-Hadapsar by December this year and Phase I, covering 52 kms across the city, by December 2009. The BRTS project covers a total distance of 117 km in two phases.Under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM), the central government sanctioned Rs 62 crore for the implementation of the BRTS. The urban development department provided another Rs 476 crore for the 10 Phase-I routes across the city. A total of Rs 1,000 crore has been approved ‘in principle’ for the entire BRTS project, including both the phases.However, the project cost of Phase I, which was estimated at Rs 476 crore, has been escalated to Rs 773 crore. The civic body attributes the jump to various aspects, including the rise in prices of construction material.