Ahmedabad BRTS model for Pune likely

The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) is mulling Ahmedabad model for the implementation of the Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS) on 27 roads and form a separate entity for the project execution keeping Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Limited (PMPML) out of the picture. Municipal commissioner Mahesh Zagade said, “The PMPML is more involved in its daily operations and hence we feel that it is necessary to tap the possibility of a separate body exclusively for the implementation of the BRTS project in the city. I will present this idea to the PMPML director board in a special meeting called on Thursday. If the idea is agreed upon, it will be tabled before the General Body (GB) of the PMC.” Zagade said that the PMC plans to implement the BRTS on 27 more roads in the city at the cost of Rs 98 crore. The total length of the BRTS will be about 101 km. In the first phase, it will be implemented on roads which have already been widened to 36 metres. “In the meeting I will ask the PMPML to work out the time line for efficient execution of the pilot BRTS. Our first option is the PMPML, as they have experience and expertise. But, if they cannot make inroads into the project, we have to look for a separate entity on the lines of the Ahmadabad model,” said Zagade. The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) has its own public transport system, but decided to form a separate body to plan and implement the BRTS project called Ahmedabad Janmarg Limited (AJL). The Ahmedabad Municipal Transport is a loss-making body and there were many political and financial issues. The AMC decided that the BRTS should not be handled by this body and formed the AJL with the deputy municipal commissioner as its executive director. The PMC is already facing flak for not being able to complete the pilot project on the 16.5 km stretch from Katraj to Swargate and Swargate to Hadapsar. The pilot project was inaugurated with much fanfare in December 2006. However, the project still remains incomplete. It lacks in basic features such as continuous dedicated lanes, proper pedestrian facilities, off-board ticketing facilities, bus-stations, level boarding facilities and frequency of buses.