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No new BRTS routes in Pune city: PMPML chief
Launched in 2007, the BRTS has become a hurdle in most parts of the city and has been blamed for causing major traffic jams
With the Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS) failing to address the commuters’ woes despite the Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Limited’s (PMPML’s) best efforts in the past 15 years, the PMPML chief on Thursday announced that no new BRTS routes will be launched in the city as of now.
Om Prakash Bakoria, chairman and managing director (CMD), PMPML, said, “The BRTS was always a hybrid model so not having complete connectivity from point A to point B has created problems. As of now, we are not planning to launch any new BRTS routes in the city.”
Qaneez Sukhrani, civic activist, said, “The BRTS has been dumped on us because they wanted to use funds under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) in 2007. The BRTS is supposed to provide last mile connectivity and it cannot be in the middle of the city. If the Pune Municipal Corporation (PM and state government wanted, they could have upgraded the buses instead of bringing BRTS.”
Launched in 2007, the BRTS has become a hurdle in most parts of the city and has been blamed for causing major traffic jams. “If buses had been upgraded, there would not have been exclusive lanes blocking roads for exclusive buses which are sometimes coming or not coming. I would suggest opening up all lanes for the general traffic. Money should not be wasted on this project. The PMC is also not able to say how much money has been spent on building the BRTS,” Sukhrani said.
Recently, the PMPML allowed ambulances, school buses and state transport buses in the BRTS lanes on the request of the Pune police. However, activists and citizens are of the view that these lanes should be made open for all vehicles in order to reduce traffic congestion.
Sanjay Shitole, secretary, PMP Pravasi Manch, said, “I feel the authorities have made planning errors as well as execution errors. Nobody wants to take responsibility and all the authorities (PMC, PCMC and PMPML) have just spent money without bothering about the functionality of the project. The worst part is that no one is asking the MLA corporators or these authorities any questions.”
Rishi Phadnis, a regular commuter, said, “I have only seen traffic jams on these routes since the launch of the BRTS. I think it is better to commute on the road without BRTS as it is slowing down the entire traffic.”
Another commuter Chirag Panchal, who travels from Katraj to Swargate on bike, said, “There are multiple signals on this road due to which traffic remains slow. If the authorities open the BRTS lanes to all vehicles, it will reduce traffic congestion.”
Pune was among the first cities in India to introduce the BRTS and the first dedicated corridor came up on the Swargate to Katraj route which was revamped multiple times, gobbling up nearly Rs1,000 crore in the bargain.
