Traffic ....

Some interesting topics are being discussed about the traffic problems we are facing. There are many such cities which face traffic congestion everyday. There are many traffic experts working day and night to resolve the problems. The issue seems to be really hot in the media these days.

Recently PMC inaugurated the BRT project (Bus Rapid Transit) in Pune which is projected as one of the solutions for increasing traffic problems. I am, personally, of the opinion that BRT won't change the situation much. The reasons being:

• It needs a dedicated traffic lane in each direction. So this puts limitation on how many roads we can deploy BRT, given the situation that space is expensive (as against the digital space which is almost free these days). Major traffic travels in the direction of the core parts of the city where the roads are much narrow and there's no scope for road expansion
• There's a limitation on number of passangers that can travel in one direction through bus. We usually have panic situations during the peak hours. If PMC decides to cater for all of the peak road, overall cost would go up and passengers would need to shell out more.
• BRT buses are planned to travel from the middle of the lane and would have stops every few meters. So at every stop 10-15 persons will be offloaded and they would need to cross the road. This would be causing problem to the other vehicles as they would need to stop every few meters to let the crowd cross the road. Given the mindset of the drivers, I won't be surprised if the number of accidents go up.
• PMC is planning to make the bus stops attractive by providing digital signboards, coffee vending machines etc. Does people really need it? Are they mature enough to avail these facilities? I don't think so.

Few other options such as metro, underground railway, skybus have been suggested and are being suggested every few days. For most of them the initial cost is huge and if we compare it with the expected returns, none of them fair well. (Although I am not an expert, I really feel so.)

I strongly believe that strengthening of existing PMT would definitely reduce the traffice problems in the city. Given the current state, we might need a complete revamp of the PMT, but it would be worth. The advantages that PMT has:

• Huge infrastructure already established - this includes the staff, buildings, depots etc.
• Huge database of people movements - on which route, traffic is more in which timeframe, where it is less etc etc
• Many still prefer PMT as no other economic alternative is available.
• Their buses can run on the narrowest roads in Pune.
• Skilled drivers who can drive through the ugly traffic and narrow roads which is not easier than walking on the tight roap. (No sarcasm meant. I really appreciate the driver who drives on kasaba peth-rawiwar peth route.)
  

If PMT is provided with adequate money power to revamp the organization and for expansion, I am sure they can help reducing the number of private vehicles on the roads.

I came across an interesting article about the new traffic trend in Europe. Few cities have gone in a mode not to have any traffic regulations - no signals, no signboards, no markings on the road, no pedestrian path. The motive is - "Unsafe is safe". The logic is to appeal to the concious of everyone on the streets - make them more careful as there won't be anyone guiding them. It may work in EU and other western countries.

But I am sure it won't work in India. Because it's almost the same state as it is. Even though there are few road signs at few places, people have learnt to ignore them, sad but true!


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