Gaav tithe Rasta, Rasta tithe E-bus: Where there is a road, there will now be an e-bus

29th August 2024 by admin

Exploring Maharashtra’s ambitious E-bus rollout plans

With the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) observing its 75th anniversary in June 2023, its motto— ‘Gaav tithe rasta, rasta, tithe ST’, meaning ‘Where there is a road, there is state transport’—has truly stood the test of time.

In 75 years of operations, its ever-growing fleet of over 15,000 buses has relentlessly served every nook and corner of the state, operating nearly 60 lakh kilometres per day. And as it heads into its centenary years, the Corporation has decided to make another ambitious leap – to electrify its fleet. It is in this light, that we look at the Corporation’s plan to electrify 25% of its rural bus fleet, with the addition of 5,150 new electric buses (e-buses) —unheard of in India’s state road transport landscape.

Why is this important?

To put this achievement in perspective, traditionally, Indian State Transport Undertakings (STUs) have focused on electrifying city (urban) bus fleets due to the ease and cost-efficiency of setting up urban charging infrastructure. In this context, MSRTC’s decision to order 5,150 e-buses for rural operations is groundbreaking, rooted in this simple but uncommon logic—Why can’t citizens from rural areas, who serve as a backbone to Maharashtra’s economy, enjoy the same quality of service with AC e-buses as citizens in cities?

This bold move by MSRTC has not only positioned it as a pioneer but has also provided a blueprint for other STUs looking to undertake similar electrification interventions in the future.

So, how did MSRTC begin this transformation journey for its iconic red buses known as the Red Fairy or Laal Pari?

How it all began

While electrification started with the procurement of 150 e-buses under the FAME II scheme in 2021, the true push for transitioning at this scale came with the Bombay High Court (HC) appointing a High Power Committee in 2022 to revive the operations of MSRTC. The committee submitted a revival plan to the Bombay HC which was subsequently approved. This particular plan outlined the need to scale up MSRTC’s fleet size from its existing 15,000 buses to 22,000 buses within just three years by the year 2025.

To achieve this, MSRTC opted for the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model. The Corporation developed a plan to stagger purchasing of e-buses in two segments—5,150 e-buses and 500 diesel buses on Gross Cost Contract (GCC), and another 2,200 diesel buses on outright purchase.

This incorporation of 5,150 e-buses will also help them achieve a significant fleet electrification target above 25% by 2025, which aligns with the state electrification policy.

Lessons from MSRTC’s Journey

While the intent was set right from 2022, there are many lessons to be learned from the MSRTC’s journey, which was not without its challenges. Being one of the first STUs to take up electrification, the path towards it was lesser known.

Ensuring manufacturers customise bus body specifications for rural needs

When MSRTC set out to procure e-buses for district operations in 2022, no manufacturer was making e-buses to cater to the specific needs of rural operations. Majority of the e-buses were being manufactured for urban settings.

The Corporation then sought specific models of buses, by adding clauses in the tender for bus body specifications under AIS (Automotive Industry Standards) 34, 52, 153, 140 that have regular floor design and good ground clearance unlike some of the existing variants. This ensured that these e-buses were built with robust quality to navigate to navigate the narrow roads and difficult terrains in rural areas, where roads may not be in the best conditions.

Identifying the right types of buses

While district and rural buses serve as the backbone of Maharashtra, serving the routes with medium to low demand with e-buses had to be taken up tactfully. To ensure that the buses procured do not end up running empty, MSRTC decided to procure two types of buses, keeping in mind traffic demand, ridership patterns, load factors, and headway.

The first type was 12m buses; – 2,800 of the total consignment were of this dimension. These buses are primarily tailored for high-traffic and high-demand scenarios, earmarked for express routes connecting major districts, metropolitan cities, and prominent pilgrim and tourist destinations.

The second type was 9m buses, totaling 2,350 vehicles, specifically allocated for with mid to low demand routes, emphasising connectivity between district headquarters, taluk-level towns, and villages. These routes often serve as vital lifelines for residents in more remote areas.

3. Selecting strategic locations for charging infrastructure

One significant challenge was selecting locations for charging infrastructure. Not all depots could support EV charging infrastructure due to high costs and power supply issues.

Thus, MSRTC chose depots based on these three criteria: depots with existing operations, ideally located to minimise dead kilometres, and those in close proximity to high-tension power supply lines.

By selecting depots that fulfilled these three criteria, they could reduce cost for extensive new electrical infrastructure development. Furthermore, depots with overnight bus parking facility for maintenance were also prioritised.

The depots were also given e-buses in a staggered manner to address any potential operational disruptions due to power supply failures. MSRTC decided that at any point, only 30%-50% of the selected depot fleet will be electric, while the remaining 70%-50% will consist of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG)/Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) and diesel buses, serving as backup. However, in bigger cities where multiple depots are in proximity to one another, MSRTC intends to develop a few depots as 100% electric depots.

The total cost associated with this process is estimated at INR 650 crores, for which, MSRTC has sought financial assistance from the state government.

Selecting the optimum routes to ensure success

While e-buses are a sustainable choice for the future, to ensure financial viability, the route selection was a meticulous process.

MSRTC developed a strategy that focused on electrifying routes with the highest ridership, high earnings per kilometre, and the lowest bus replacement ratio. The effort to identify such routes was entirely in-house, drawing upon the extensive ground-level expertise and insights from various divisions within the Corporation.

Future of the Red Fairy

The discourse of sustainable transport often focuses solely on urban areas and their residents, highlighting the need for infrastructure like electric buses, cycling tracks, e-vehicles, and so on.

However, with this one initiative, MSRTC has ensured that an entire generation of citizens from rural areas of Maharashtra will have their first experience in smooth, electric buses rather than noisy diesel-powered ones. This shift has the potential to redefine their perspective on the true benefits of a bus- a mode they will use not out of compulsion, but by choice.

As MSRTC moves forward with an alternative fuel strategy beyond electrification, by adding 50 CNG buses to its fleet and retrofitting 6,000 existing diesel buses to operate on LNG and CNG, the move could further push the cause of clean air in rural areas.

MSRTC’s overall shift to a Gross Cost Contract model for the 5,150 new e-bus and 500 diesel buses, will also enable it to achieve cost efficiency, something which all STUs are aiming for in the long run. The model helps to mitigate the risks associated with heavy up-front capital investment because the actual purchase of buses is not their responsibility and maintenance expenses e are also taken care of by the contractors.

With such multi-pronged reforms in place, MSRTC could set a steady course for the next few decades riding on the e-red fairy and being a role model for other transport operators across the country.

For more insights read the detailed report

Written by Donita Jose, Senior Associate, Communications and Development, ITDP India

With Technical Inputs from Aditya Rane, Senior Associate – Transport Systems and Electric Mobility, ITDP India

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

Maharashtra Urban Mobility Policy

31st July 2018 by admin

If life is a theatre, then commuting on Indian urban roads is a Greek tragedy that unfolds daily. Jostling for space, dashing to beat a signal or tip-toeing around oncoming traffic, all these are daily reminders of how desperately the Indian transport system needs an overhaul. According to a Boston Consulting Group survey, a commuter in Mumbai spends 135% more time in road travel than any other Asian city.

Yet, our current vehicle-centric transportation planning only adds more vehicles on roads. And beating congestion by adding more roads is a battle that no city has won. It isn’t just the rapid increase in congestion, traffic snarls or travel time, but also the subsequent rise of pollution and road accidents that hamper quality of life in our cities.

“Every rupee spent by a city on public transport boosts its economy by four rupees!” said Mr Khatua, Director of Mumbai Technical Support Unit, at a workshop on the Maharashtra State Urban Transport Policy. Succinctly put, the senior officer magnifies the need of the hour: sustainable public transport systems.

Closely looking at Maharashtra’s urban population, it is expected to increase by a whopping 30% in the next decade and by another 50% in the years to follow. Going by the present-day scenario of urban commute in the state, the future seems too hazy. To counter these issues, the Urban Development Department of the state has drafted and published the Maharashtra Urban Mobility Policy.

With sustainability at its core, the policy looks to develop transport systems in accordance. So efforts will be concentrated on urban transit systems which reduces burden on resources and most importantly, offers an equal space to every commuter. Hence, facilitating walking, cycling and usage of public transport.

How the policy came about

In 2006, the National Urban Transport Policy (NUTP) was laid out as a guidance for transportation planning in Indian cities. It prioritized the movement of people and not vehicles in cities, emphasizing on adequate road space for sustainable transport modes, such as walking, cycling and public transport. However, the NUTP mostly existed as a term of reference on papers.

You may ask, so why bring it up now? Well, Maharashtra is taking strides to plug this gap, making it the first state to define its own transportation policy. This further ensures that its urban transportation projects are consistent with NUTP. In June 2017, the Urban Development Department released a draft of the policy. To ensure transparency and insight on feasibility the process was participatory, taking into consideration comments and suggestions of citizens and officials from various cities.

Consultation with Pune Municipal Corporation

Consultation with Nashik Municipal Corporation

In all of this the ITDP India Programme provided technical guidance to the Urban Development Department, and the department is now in the last stages of finalizing the draft.

What it offers

Applicable to all urban areas of the state, the policy envisions transport modes which are safe, reliable, sustainable and accessible for citizen from all walks of life. Additionally, focusing on women’s safety.

The key objectives that the policy will enforce upon cities are:
· Safety and convenience offered to pedestrians, cyclists and public transport users.
· Reducing usage of personal vehicles
· Our transportation infrastructure must be is universally accessible
· Road fatalities should be drastically reduced
· Ambient air quality should meet or exceed Central Pollution Control Board norms

All this is easier said than done, of course. Hence, the policy offers tangible metrics for infrastructure implementation, followed up with support and training provided by the state government.

The policy also helps to detangle the bureaucratic red-tape and ensures a coherent approach is in store. Cities with a population of 10 lakh or more are expected to establish a Unified Metropolitan Transport Authority and an Urban Transport Fund to manage financial resources for all transportation projects. This will ensure that each agency works in coordination and follows an identical vision.

In conclusion, the policy offers a glimmer of hope; and we say glimmer because there are still many a miles to go and stretches to be reclaimed for equal distribution. But this clearly is a step in the right direction which will impact and influence other states to follow suit. In essence, Maharashtra has shown its wherewithal to get with the times and be the trailblazer that leads by example.