Congestion Pricing: panacea to Mumbai’s transport woes

7th March 2019 by admin

Mumbai wears many tags: The City that Never Sleeps, The City of Dreams, The Maximum City, etc. Another moniker that aptly defines the conditions prevalent in the city could be ‘The City of Traffic Bedlam’. Such is the chaos that reigns supreme on the city’s pigeonholed roads, with private motor vehicles playing the usual suspects.

In light of the ever-rising transportation concerns, the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA)—the agency responsible for urban planning in the Mumbai region—is keen to explore the feasibility of congestion pricing to reduce traffic congestion. A stakeholder focus-group meeting was held on 6 March, to understand various perspectives of congestion pricing, as part of a joint study initiated by MMRDA in collaboration with the Institute for Transportation and Development Policy (ITDP) India Programme.

A travel-demand management measure, congestion pricing aims to tackle the issue of road congestion, growing private vehicle use, and environmental pollution. Simply put, the approach will look to levy a charge on private vehicles for accessing a high-demand stretch or zone. These charges are aimed at discouraging usage of private vehicles, while improving and promoting public transport ridership.

A move long overdue

Mumbai has been renowned for its strong network of public transport systems such as the omnipresent BEST buses and the reliable ‘local trains’. But as middle-class ambitions grew, so did the car-craze. In the recent decade, private automobiles found safe sanctuaries in the homes and streets of Mumbai. Meanwhile, the BEST bus services continue to suffer due to declining fleet sizes and ridership; while the local trains, the city’s backbone, are bursting at the seams with unimaginable passenger load.

Greater Mumbai’s extravagant private vehicle growth and expenditure on related infrastructure cannot justify the paltry commute figures. Private vehicle numbers skyrocketed from 7.9 lakh in 2001 to 32 lakh in 2017! Even though they make up for only 12% of all trips, private vehicles occupy over three-fourth of road space, leaving the rest to the fringes. What happens when the 12% increases to 20% or even more? Constructing more roads or flyovers is not the answer – these are short sighted solutions that are expensive and unsustainable.

Decongest and get a move on

As per Uber Movement estimates, the average Mumbaikar spends 135% per cent more time on the road than their Asian counterparts. Thus, the move to congestion pricing is not about punishing the driver; it is more about ensuring people get to their destination faster and more affordably—with less environmental impact and less stress.

According to the MMRDA, congestion pricing will encourage a modal shift to public transport modes which is a healthy alternative for people and the environment. It is also understood that an effective congestion pricing strategy will increase average speed and reduce travel times by all modes, especially buses.

However, congestion pricing is a mere part of the bigger puzzle that looks to resolve traffic congestion in cities like Mumbai. “Mumbai should first try more simple traffic reduction measures like charging on-street parking and eliminating on-street parking from mobility corridors. That is slowing down buses. The buses run only about 160 km/day today, against 200 km just a few years ago. Buses have to run 200 km/day to be viable” says Harshad Abhyankar, Mobility Planning Specialist at the ITDP India Programme.

Presently, BEST buses share the carriageway with other vehicles and hence, their operating speed is adversely affected by traffic congestion. Haphazard parking increases friction on the street edge which further slows them down. Lower bus speeds generally result in fewer buses scheduled on routes, which only entices commuters to opt for the more ‘convenient’ option – their car or the two-wheeler. And this vicious cycle continues.

The move towards congestion pricing will allow Mumbai to explore the possibility of firstly, charging on-street parking to discourage the use of private vehicles, secondly, prioritising and strengthening the lifeline of the city – its BEST buses, and thirdly, investing in high-quality people-friendly infrastructure such as footpaths, cycle tracks, and dedicated bus lanes. For all of this to be successful, “a legislation that gives charge of all traffic reduction measures and related responsibilities to a single entity is desirable”, emphasised a participant at the focus group discussion.

No one enjoys being stuck in traffic. People stuck in traffic jams lose time, money, and their peace of mind. Congestion pricing is a measure to reduce traffic congestion – that is charging private vehicles for accessing a high-demand stretch or zone. The revenue generated can be levied to improve city bus services, and walking and cycling infrastructure – the more sustainable way of moving around. However, its application is an uphill task. The ITDP India Programme is excited to be working with MMRDA to learn from this initial meeting, further its understanding from international case studies, and explore possibilities of congestion pricing in Mumbai.

Move over traffic, Mumbaikars coming through (about time)!

Written by Rohit James and Kashmira Dubash.

Picture credit: Vincent Mivelaz, Flickr

Bicycle Sharing’s trail from Mexico to Ranchi

5th March 2019 by admin

Strides towards Smart Cities in India : The Complete Streets Framework Toolkit

26th February 2019 by admin

Have you ever wondered what truly makes a city? Is it just the layers of history seen through the built forms, or is it also the people and their interactions, which breathes life into these spaces on the streets? Streets in Indian cities have always been filled with this magic, weaving stories through the interplay of people travelling through the space for travel, business and other activities, inturn giving them a unique identity. Occupying approximately one-fifth of the total urban land area, streets are amongst the most valuable urban assets of any city.

However, India is at the crossroads of an ever-increasing demand for transportation and vehicle growth, due to rapid urbanisation, economic development, and growing wealth among households. This has made it critical for Indian cities to introduce sustainable mobility measures, to ensure a safe, equitable, and livable future for its people.

With this aim, the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, under the Smart Cities Mission, launched ‘The Complete Streets Framework Toolkit ’ with technical inputs from ITDP India Programme, on 26th February 2019, in New Delhi. It is aimed at guiding the 100 selected cities to prioritise walking, cycling, and public transport over cars, unlocking the inherent potential of the street space.

The toolkit is intended to be used by decision makers, city officials, engineers, planners, and consultants to develop a complete streets policy framework, design and implement as per standards and guidelines, and evaluate the progress.

The fault in our streets

Walking and cycling are critical transportation modes for the people in Indian cities, providing low-cost and a healthy means of travel. In spite of the surge in the use of cars and two-wheelers, nearly fifty percent of the population across the country still depend on walking and cycling, both as a primary mode of transport and for last mile connectivity. Yet, the ground reality is starkly different, with only one percent of all streets in India, having walkable footpaths.

The most vulnerable users of the street, the pedestrians and cyclists, are left to face the brunt of unsafe streets. Road fatality rates in India have surged to 20-25 times that of developed countries. With 56 pedestrian deaths and 10 cyclists deaths per day, reported in 2017 by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, the streets in India are certainly not safe for its people.

Increased traffic congestion and road fatality rates, impacting the liveability and well being of the citizens, has raised the need to invest more in improving the sustainable transport infrastructure in the country.

MoHUA paves the way for a walkable India

The Smart Cities Mission has thus emphasised the need for the creation of pedestrian-friendly infrastructure, promoting walking and cycling as an integral part of urban development. In order to achieve this, the top 100 cities need to redesign and transform over 40,000 km of city streets into complete streets by 2030. This will help the Indian transport culture get back to more sustainable ways while ensuring citizens reclaim their streets from the clutches of cars.

The transformation, in the name of complete streets, aims to redesign Indian streets with high-quality footpaths, segregated cycle tracks, safe pedestrian crossing and regulated on-street parking; basically, improve accessibility for all citizens, regardless of age, gender, and physical ability.

The toolkit consist of seven volumes: i.Complete Street Policy Framework ii.Complete Streets Policy Workbook iii.Complete Streets Planning Workbook iv.Complete Streets Design Workbook v.Complete Street Implementation Workbook vi.Complete Streets Evaluation Metrics vii.Complete Streets Best Practices. The step-by-step approach adopted aims at helping the cities in their decision making process, for bringing forth the transformation of its streets.

The toolkit begins with guiding cities to embed complete streets best-practises into a policy to set the big-picture vision. Clarity on the vision can better guide decision-making by the state and city administrators. Master planning follows suit, creating city-wide walking and cycling networks to ensure continuity and integration with public transport. All public transport commuters begin and end their journey by foot or cycle, thus, the impact of such network planning is far-reaching.

Network planning also helps cities identify particular streets that can be retrofitted or redesigned with footpaths and cycle tracks depending on the adjoining urban environment. The Design Workbook provides best-practise standards, guidelines, and the processes for designing complete streets by city officials, engineers, urban designers and consultants. Designs can look great on paper, but high-quality implementation of footpaths and cycle tracks is the game-changer. The Implementation Workbook is more of a check-list for urban designers, municipal engineers, and contractors on how to implement footpaths in complex urban environments. Finally, the progress must be monitored – the Evaluation Metrics details key performance indicators for monitoring transformation.

The Complete Streets Toolkit will help sketch a streetscape with opportunities for the millions whose lives would significantly be improved – especially women, children, and differently-abled people. A conscious effort to care for the most vulnerable members of the society is indeed a reflection of a developed country and a smart city. Afterall, as Shakespeare put it, what is a city but the people?

Micro-mobility devices: what could they mean for India?

22nd February 2019 by admin

Last month, Uber was reported to be considering the introduction of electric scooters, as part of their shared mobility services, in India. Part of an emerging global trend in the search for environmentally viable last-mile connectivity solutions, micro-mobility devices such as e-scooters have attracted over half a billion dollars in investment from Alphabet, Ford, Uber, and others in the last year. As a result, their arrival in India might be inevitable, and our cities could benefit from by creating a favourable regulatory environment.

How so? Electric micro-mobility devices have the potential to address two major challenges faced by our cities: enabling the mobility of persons with disabilities (PWDs) and reducing dependence on carbon-intensive modes of private transport, including two-wheelers.

First, the various forms they are available in makes electric micro-mobility devices suitable for a wide range of applications, including aiding the mobility of the elderly or PWDs. Further, their lower upfront and maintenance costs could help reduce private vehicle usage.

Reducing India’s dependence on two-wheelers

A recent study by IIT-Delhi found up to 70 percent of all work-related trips in Indian cities do not exceed five kilometers in length. These are distances typically covered sooner and more conveniently on two-wheelers than by using public transport in most Indian cities, perhaps explaining why 79 percent of all vehicles sold in the country in 2018 were two-wheelers.

Arguably, however, the usage of as many two-wheelers every day can prove detrimental to our cities, as they clog our roads and pollute the air we breathe. These are issues we have been unable to address despite years of awareness, as solutions have ranged from the impractical to the unviable. For instance, most State Transport Undertakings (STUs) in the country lack the wherewithal to expand public bus service capacity to meet the ever-growing demand. Even if they did, quality of bus service remains a concern. Then there is road rationing, which governments, perhaps mindful of political ramifications, do not want to subject two-wheelers to, as observed in Delhi during the Odd-Even trials.

In micro-mobility, however, our cities might finally have the means to reduce two-wheeler usage, owing to lower costs of ownership and usage. E-scooters in the US now cost between $100 and $300. Assuming similar prices in India, and even before subsidies, they could cost at least $150 (or about ₹10,000) less than most entry-level two-wheelers in India. Further, with shared usage models for micro-mobility, akin to public bicycle sharing, the residents of a city could be spared the costs of ownership, thus making e-scooters an attractive proposition compared to private two-wheelers.

Being powered by electric motors, micro-mobility devices also have an advantage over two-wheelers in terms of tailpipe emissions, any potential reduction of which could significantly improve air quality in most of our polluted cities.

Considering these factors, a favourable regulatory environment in India could make micro-mobility devices the preferred mode of travel in cities for rides up to 5 kilometres, the distance they are being used to cover in most American cities. In addition to the potential of reducing two-wheelers usage, this could also reduce dependence on shared cab rides over short distances. The likely threat to shared taxi firms perhaps explains why they are actively investing in e-scooter startups. The same threat – of losing ridership to e-scooters – unfortunately applies to state-run public bus services as well and herein lies the challenge in framing a favourable regulatory environment for micro-mobility devices meant for the general public in India.

Aiding the Mobility of PWDs

Micro-mobility devices for persons with disabilities and the elderly, however, might not face the same regulatory hurdles. In cities mostly hostile to their daily commute, chair-type micro-mobility devices, capable of being operated on the roads as well as indoors, could make lives easier for persons with special needs.

Research has found these devices, already in use in Japan and some other countries, to be essential in providing an active life to those with declining abilities. This makes them essential in a country where most public transportation modes are not suitable for use by people with special needs. Consider buses, for example. The Department of Empowerment of Persons With Disabilities, in its 2017-18 Annual Report, found only 9.1 percent of all buses in the country were “provided with accessibility features”. It should be noted that ‘accessibility features’ here may not necessarily mean a ramp or wheelchair harness, and could instead indicate the presence of audio announcements and other amenities accessible only upon boarding the vehicle.

Trains fare no better: most platforms are accessible only through a footover bridge. Then, there’s a gap between the train and the platform in almost every Indian city, with the latter often at a much lower level.

Article 41 of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 guarantees government support to aid the mobility of PWDs. But with accessibility improvements to buses and suburban trains being hard to implement, and with metro rail access being limited to certain stretches of a city, micro-mobility devices are perhaps the easiest means of aiding the movement of the elderly and PWDs.

Regulating Micro-Mobility

In micro-mobility, India has a rare opportunity to address long unresolved, critical issues of public interest. India could also benefit from the lessons learned by other cities where micro-mobility solutions have been implemented. For instance, some cities in the United States have been affected by haphazard parking of e-scooters on footpaths and in public places. Some others have been wary of the road safety challenges posed by these vehicles.

The lessons learned by these cities, fortunately for India, has been documented in the form of reports, such as those published as part of the San Francisco Powered Scooter Share Pilot Program. These publications could inform regulatory decision-making in India to ensure micro-mobility complements existing public transport capacity, of which there remains a perennial supply deficit, and enables the mobility of PWDs and the elderly, a concern long unaddressed.

Written by Varun Shridhar

Edited by Kashmira Dubash

Cover photo credits: Ian Sane, Flickr

Mobility Matter: Why smart governance today ensures smarter cities tomorrow

19th February 2019 by admin

The first edition of the Sustainable Urban Mobility (SUM) Congress will lead a global reflection on the future of mobility and ITDP India is excited be a part of it! Shreya Gadepalli, South Asia Programme Lead at ITDP, has been invited to participate in an expert panel discussion on the role of public policies and governance in shaping sustainable urban mobility systems. The Congress is being hosted in the city of Bilbao on 20 and 21 February.

Presently, Indian cities lack clarity on objective ‘decision-making’, based on data, that can fetch them the right results. In response to this, Shreya Gadepalli will draw light on a strategic approach—which emphasises on clarity and capital, capability and capacity, coordination and communication—to establish a system of rational decision-making that uses data combined with public consultations to arrive at appropriate decisions.

A key element of CLARITY is also the institution of monitoring and evaluation mechanisms that can guide decision-making. The issue of CAPITAL is closely linked to clarity of vision. It is a bit of an enigma. When it comes to high-value projects like elevated roads and metro-rail projects, there’s never a dearth of capital. The drought of funds somehow arises when it comes to basics like Complete Streets, that pay as much attention to footpaths and cycling facilities as well as buses that ensure urban transport is affordable, accessible and most importantly, for the public.

In addition, money is more forthcoming for capital expenditure but very limited or almost missing when it comes to maintenance. Often, maintenance is done through serial asset replacement. But now, in a few places, things seem to be changing. Indian cities like Chennai and Pune, with technical assistance from the ITDP India Programme, have developed urban mobility policies that prioritise walking, cycling, and public transport.

Next in line are the twin issues of CAPABILITY and CAPACITY to plan, implement, manage, and monitor. Indian cities have a very thin layer of senior management sourced from a permanent cadre of civil servants. Capacity at the mid-management level to plan and implement is missing except for in the top few cities, and in these cities too, the capability, i.e., the necessary skills, is often marginal.

There is an urgent need to establish this capacity, not just in the sheer number of staff required at appropriate levels, but also augmenting their capacity to plan, implement, manage, and monitor the vision that has been established. ITDP has been at the forefront of this issue. It has developed easy to learn training programmes and has trained hundreds of municipal officers across India in planning and implementing sustainable mobility initiatives.

Further, it is now collaborating with the national Smart Cities Mission to guide the top 100 cities in developing Complete Streets, managing parking, and implementing a monitoring and evaluation system.

Last comes the vexing issues of inter-agency COMMUNICATION AND COORDINATION. Authority is fragmented in more or less all cities of India. For example, metropolitan areas have multiple municipalities. Further, these municipalities have limited jurisdiction over issues of mobility. Often, key arterial streets are administered by provincial highways or public works departments. So are bus services. Heavy [sub]urban rail—where it exist—comes under the national railways.

Each one of these agencies has its own plans and budgets that do not communicate with the rest. Only now are some cities like Chennai—one of ITDP’s deep-dive cities—starting to institute unified metropolitan transport authorities.

Shreya Gadepalli will throw further light on these issues and speak about how progress is now being made across India.

E-mobility: a game-changer for Informal Public Transport in India

15th February 2019 by admin

Across Indian cities, ‘informal public transport’ such as the shared-auto, mini-bus, tempos, and e-rickshaws are increasingly being replaced by cab aggregators such as Uber and Ola. While this is great news for the affluent section of society, who can get a ride in a jiffy and travel in the relative ease of an air-conditioned cars, millions of Indians who rely heavily on informal public transport (IPT) modes are left in the lurch.

Apart from being affordable, IPT offers efficient mobility, especially in smaller towns and cities which lack formal public transport systems. This sector also plays a major role in the creation of jobs—thousands migrate to cities to take up jobs driving rickshaws, despite the low wages. Yet, the modern definition of ‘shared mobility’ excludes them.

It is important to understand just how much Indian cities depend on IPT. The ITDP India Programme’s extensive study in Ranchi showed that over a fourth of all trips are made by shared autos. This situation is common among tier-2 and tier-3 cities where public transport is missing in action. However, there is ample scope to improve how IPT operates – for instance, route planning [by the RTO and the urban local body] can reduce congestion in busy localities and provide coverage throughout a city.

For Indian cities to have efficient, sustainable, safe and comfortable mobility, they need to start improving the IPT sector alongside public transport systems. The recent conversations surrounding electric mobility provides an excellent opportunity to intervene in ‘formalising’ IPT.

How much of an impact could electrification of IPT have on Indian cities?

As stated above, a significant number of trips are made using IPT in several Indian cities. Electrification will reduce the nation’s dependence on oil imports. Oil imports are a significant drain on the public exchequer, costing Rs. 5.6 lakh crores in the fiscal year of 2018. Electrification will also significantly reduce carbon emissions from fossil-fueled vehicles (assuming that the source of electricity is also clean).

It has been extensively reported that Indian cities are grappling with very poor air quality. WHO reports that 14 out of the world’s 15 most polluted cities are in India, nearly all of them in the northern region. These are also the same cities where IPT forms the backbone of public transport. Given that electrification will drastically reduce local emissions from transport, cities should actively try to switch from fossil fuel based vehicles.

This is not to say that electrification of IPT is at a nascent stage in India. Several northern Indian cities have taken to e-rickshaws over the past decade, so much so that they currently form the largest electric fleet in the world, comprising of 1.5 million vehicles!

E-rickshaws evolved from efforts in the late 1990’s to modernize the humble cycle-rickshaw. They first gained popularity in Delhi as efforts to improve mobility infrastructure in the lead up to the 2010 Commonwealth Games. These vehicles used cheaper lead-acid batteries for power and were easy to drive, with low capital and maintenance costs. These factors led to an increase in its popularity across cities in north India. Today, estimates show that more than 11,000 such vehicles enter the market every month.

This growth has been largely driven by the private sector; efforts from the State have been rather limited. The Government of Delhi, realising the potential of electric IPT in reducing local air pollution, offered a subsidy of Rs 30,000 upon purchase. However, states and cities have yet not addressed the issue of ‘regulating’ these vehicles which can improve last mile connectivity, reduce road congestion, and improve air quality. In fact, initial uncertainties over the categorization of e-rickshaws under the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, as well as concerns over safety had even led to e-rickshaws being banned in cities like Delhi and Ranchi.

A conducive policy and regulatory environment is necessary to maximise the benefits of electrification. This would involve the set-up of supporting infrastructure such as charging stations and e-rickshaw stands, identifying routes for operation, and having a clear set of guidelines on enforcement. However, as mentioned above, IPT often does not get the attention it deserves. An example for the same can be seen in the FAME scheme. The initial focus of the scheme was to incentivise electrification of private motor vehicles. Even though three-wheelers were part of the scheme, the lack of attention to the end-users—the owner and the commuter—meant that the uptake was minimal.

To unlock the full potential of electrification, India should have a clear vision expressed through a model ‘national electric vehicle’ policy. While addressing the whole spectrum of electric vehicles, the core focus of the policy should undoubtedly be on the electrification of modes that have low per capita energy and space requirement—specifically buses and informal public transport—and disincentivize the use of modes that are polluting, and consume higher per capita energy and space, such as cars. Such progressive policies would help states adopt a similar stance based on their contextual requirements.

Written by Vishnu M J

Edited by Kashmira Medhora Dubash

ITDP India set to represent Pune’s Complete Streets success in Germany!

6th February 2019 by admin

ITDP India is excited to be invited as a panelist and a speaker at the International Conference of the Research Training Group KRITIS, at Technische Universität Darmstadt, Germany. Pranjali Deshpande, Senior Manager of the ITDP India Programme, will showcase the progressive interventions implemented by Pune to bring back life to its car-centric streets.

City records show that as of 2016-17, Pune had 2.3 million two-wheelers and seven-hundred thousand four-wheelers, and ranked second in terms of vehicle density among Indian cities. City administrators soon realised that pre-emptive measures for urban mobility was the need of the hour, and that’s when Pune started to break new ground!

In-line with the National Urban Transport Policy, Pune aims to achieve its goal of reducing dependency on personal motorised vehicles from 50 percent to 10 percent by 2031. In 2017-18, Pune’s budget witnessed a paradigm shift in its transportation expenditure wherein over half of the city’s transport budget was spent on sustainable transport initiatives – in particular walking and cycling.

These streets are made for walking, and that’s just what they’ll do…

Pune footed the ambitious Complete Street scheme, with technical input from the ITDP India Programme, to transform over 100 km of streets that prioritise pedestrians and cyclists. This was based on a unique set of Urban Street Design Guidelines adopted by Pune in 2016.

The first phase—on JM Road and DP Road—was lauded across the country, even winning the Housing and Urban Development Corporation Award and the Volvo Mobility Award 2017. The redesign brought new life to Pune’s streetscape! Following on Pune’s footstep, even Pimpri-Chinchwad started the process of designing 75 km of street networks in the city.

JM Road, Pune

Maintaining its stance that Pune is for people and not for vehicles, the city administration heralded a new era of an efficient paid parking system in 2018. The Pune Parking Policy, for which the India Programme provided technical support, introduced an efficient paid parking system and a management cell to oversee implementation. The city awaits its implementation on-ground.

The success of sustainable transport projects in Pune is an ode to the efforts of the Pune Municipal Corporation and Pune Smart City Development Corporation Ltd., and their collaboration with organisations including ITDP India Programme, Parisar, Pedestrians First, Prasanna Desai Architects, and the Center for Environment Education.

The transition from a motor vehicle-dependent city to a people-friendly city is not easy without the support of citizens. To ensure success, the municipal corporation conducted several public consultation drives. And, the city continues to do so, ensuring that sustainable urban mobility practices are a continuous exercise and woven into the new people-first transport culture.

Everything you need to know about the introduction of e-buses in India!

1st February 2019 by admin

Urban mobility has always been a keystone sector to gauge urbanisation in India. Given that India’s population explosion is nowhere close to being defused, concerns regarding public transport issues are increasing by the hour. Most Indian cities rely heavily on public buses and informal public transport modes. In cities where public bus services are constrained by operational and financial issues, informal public transport services address the gaps in connectivity. However, both buses and informal public transport have not kept pace with the rapid rise in population; invariably, there has been a rapid influx of personal motor vehicles in recent years and with it a plethora of issues—environmental, mobility, and living conditions.

Over the past five years, electrification has been pushed forward as a panacea towards reducing these negative effects. This has triggered interest at the national level with schemes supporting acceleration of electric vehicles in India. The Government of India approved the National Mission on Electric Mobility and subsequently, the National Electric Mobility Mission Plan 2020 was launched in 2013. As part of the mission, the Department of Heavy Industry notified the FAME scheme [Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of (Hybrid &) Electric Vehicles in India] for the purpose of incentivising and implementing electrification of motor vehicles.

City bus operators in India have a fleet comprising mostly of diesel and CNG buses. Electric buses are new to many operators and given the diversity of products available in the market, selecting optimum technology is challenging. For example: should operators procure a bus with overnight charging or intermediate charging? Should they try battery swapping? Which route should an operator choose to use the electric buses on; will the battery last a full day of service? Given the lack of clarity, many operators chose to run electric buses on trial before taking a decision to procure them.

BMTC (Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation) was one of the first operators in the country to test an electric bus in 2014. Following this, public bus operators in cities like Hyderabad, Chandigarh, and Mumbai tested electric buses successfully. These trials helped the operators understand the challenges in operating electric buses. The most significant finding was that some electric buses could ply up to 250 kilometers after charging them for four hours at the depot. This meant, myths regarding the distance a bus can travel in a single charge and the time taken to charge the bus, were busted.

Following successful trials, some operators initiated plans to introduce electric buses in their fleet. Public bus operators such as the BMTC decided to procure 150 electric buses. Government of Delhi too, announced its plans to procure 1000 electric buses in their 2018-19 transport budget. However, given the high procurement costs and lack of funding, many projects failed to take off.

The FAME scheme had initially focused on electrification of private motor vehicles rather than buses and other forms of public transport. Incentives within the scheme were available to procure ‘hybrid’ electric buses but a very few operators showed interest. However, after the inclusion of incentives for full electric buses in the scheme, in 2016, the Department of Heavy Industries-Government of India received proposals from operators in cities like Mumbai, Delhi, and Bengaluru to induct electric buses

In November 2017, Mumbai’s BEST (Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport) flagged- off 6 electric and 25 hybrid buses for passenger service. There was an uptake in proposals in response to an EoI (Expression of Interest) issued by Department of Heavy Industries to procure electric buses, cars and bikes. The Department received more than 40 proposals with plans for 3000 buses. However, the department only selected 11 cities with plans to procure 390 electric buses.

A month later, 10 cities completed the tendering process to procure electric buses. Of the 10 cities, Indore, Lucknow, Kolkata, Jammu, and Guwahati decided to go with outright purchase of e-buses. On the other hand, Bangalore, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, and Jaipur decided to invite bids under a Gross Cost Contract (GCC). Under GCC, buses would be operated and maintained by the supplier at a fixed cost per kilometer. These cities expect to receive a subsidy of upto 60% of the capital cost of electric bus.

However, only a few cities have managed to complete the procurement process. Bangalore’s plans to procure electric buses under the Gross Cost Contract was put on hold after differences with the state government, and Mumbai cancelled tenders after challenges in procurement. Hyderabad on the other hand, received a few buses and is expected to launch services soon. Ahmedabad and Kolkata are also expected to launch services in February.

In 2019, cities like Kolkata, Hyderabad, Pune, and Ahmedabad will join Mumbai in operating electric buses. As more cities take their first steps towards transitioning to an electric future, it is important to take learnings from the past five years on procuring, rolling-out and operating electric buses. This is also the right time to evaluate funding mechanisms and focus on prioritising electrification of public buses over private motor vehicles.

Written by Sai Ratna Chaitanya

Edited by Kashmira Medhora Dubash

What the people of Chennai have to say about the pedestrian plaza proposal at Pondy Bazaar

28th January 2019 by admin

Chennaites’ love story with Pondy Bazaar is one which spans across many generations, long before shopping malls sprouted across the city. It continues to weave its charm, attracting people from all walks of life across the world to be a part of this unique shopping experience. “Since my childhood I have been coming here for shopping. The experience of walking from shop to shop with my parents is a fond memory, which I am reliving now with my kids,” said Mr.Balaji, a 46-year old shopper. For him and many others, Pondy Bazaar is not just a space, but an emotion. To further enhance this feeling and the overall experience, Chennai Smart City Ltd. and Greater Chennai Corporation with design support from Darashaw and Studio R+R is implementing the much-awaited pedestrian plaza along Thyagaraya Road, the 1.4 km stretch of Pondy Bazaar between Panagal Park and Mount Road.

While the city is eagerly anticipating the plaza, local shopkeepers are concerned that the removal of cars and parking from Thyagaraya road might affect their sales. To understand the ground reality and possible solutions to address their concerns, the ITDP India Programme conducted a public opinion survey. Results show that only 25% of the shoppers visiting Pondy Bazaar park on Thyagaraya Road. These vehicles can be accommodated in the side streets and around Panagal Park, which is already preferred due to the availability of parking. The shoppers are eagerly looking forward to the vibrant pedestrian plaza, expressing their preference for an unhindered shopping space over cars!

Over the years, cars have gradually been dominating the street space, making life difficult for the shoppers. “I take fifteen minutes to cross this road! Accidents! Pollution! There is no peace of mind, and it’s because of the traffic,” said a survey respondent. Pondy Bazaar has become vehicle centric, taking space away from the public.

The pedestrian plaza planned by the city with support from the ITDP India Programme, is envisioned as an attractive public space for shoppers. With continuous pedestrian walkways, ample opportunity for seating, comfortable tree cover, and colourful play elements, the plaza will be easily accessible for women, children, senior citizens and people with disabilities.

The project aims at transforming the street to encourage more people to walk, shop and wander, without the fear of accidents. It will enhance pedestrian and cyclist safety, foster community interaction, and boost local businesses. Once implemented, the Thyagaraya Road will prioritise public transport and cars will not be allowed. By transforming the shopping street from a car-centric to a people-centric space, the pedestrian plaza will result in better air quality, health, and wellbeing of the users.

The citizens had a glimpse of the new Pondy Bazaar experience during the trial runs held in November 2016 and February 2017. With cars stopped from entering Thyagaraya Road, traffic progressed smoothly and shoppers had more room for walking and other fun activities and games. The space was filled with laughter, smiles, and a new-found energy, showing the impact the proposal could have on the users, for generations to come.

Despite the excitement for this project, the local shopkeepers have raised concerns about the impact of pedestrianisation on their revenue. With the proposed multi-level car park still under construction, the shopkeepers are worried that shoppers would drive away to other destinations with better parking facilities. To understand the actual travel needs of the shoppers, the ITDP India Programme conducted an on-ground survey of over 500 shoppers, in collaboration with the RVS School of Architecture.

The survey showed that over half of the shoppers reach Pondy Bazaar by means of public transport, walking or cycling. Amongst the private motor vehicle users, more than half already park on the side streets and at Panagal Park. While Thyagaraya Road has a capacity of roughly 200 vehicles, the side streets which are currently under-utilised for parking, can accommodate nearly 500 parked vehicles.

Therefore, one possible and feasible solution is to shift parking from Thyagaraya Road to the side streets, through an effective parking management system. Demand-based parking fees combined with strong enforcement will ensure that cars are not irresponsibly parked in front of residence gates or on footpaths. This will also help shoppers find parking spots more conveniently through their phones, saving time, and fuel.

When asked about accessing Thyagaraya Road from the side streets, 78 percent of the users felt it was easy to park on the side streets and walk to the shops. A whopping 94 percent of the shoppers expressed how they were looking forward to a Pondy Bazaar, free of cars and designed for the pedestrians.

Pondy Bazaar has always been and will continue to remain a strong evergreen sentiment. By prioritising pedestrians, especially children, elderly and other vulnerable users over vehicles in the Pedestrian Plaza, Chennai is opening up new ways of experiencing the space. The people and their interactions make a city. The Pedestrian Plaza is bound to attract more locals and foreigners, boost the economy and above all, enhance the identity of this shopping hub.

Written by AV Venugopal

Edited by Kashmira Medhora Dubash