E-Paper
Reopening of Swargate-Katraj BRTS line in Pune gets another deadline
The dedicated bus corridor, India’s first pilot project, has been closed for more than two years.
PUNE: The Pune Municipal Corporation said that the bus rapid transit corridor (BRTS) between Swargate and Katraj will resume after Diwali. The dedicated bus corridor, India’s first pilot project, has been closed for more than two years.
PMC road department head VJ Kulkarni said, “Almost 90 per cent work of the corridor is complete. Installation of CCTV cameras and sliding doors at bus stops is left. These works will be carried out soon and the BRTS facility will be reopened after Diwali.”
The official said that fitting of doors and CCTV cameras were not carried out as the facility was not operational because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Kulkarni admitted that anti-social elements damage glass doors and cameras.
Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) elected member Ashwini Kadam on Monday wrote to Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Limited (PMPML) seeking the resumption of BRTS facility on Satara road.
Kadam said, “I have asked the administration to either restart BRTS or open the stretch for private vehicles. In the name of rectification, PMC delayed the work for two years.”
According to a civic official, PMC has spent more than Rs100 crore for improving the corridor. As the corridor was India’s pilot plan, it also carried many flaws. PMC rectified the errors and decided to convert central lanes as dedicated lanes. Even bus stops were erected in the middle of the road at a cost of Rs1 crore per stop.
PMC failed to meet seven deadlines to kick-start the corridor.
Santosh Kale, a two-wheeler rider, said, “I used this stretch daily. PMC has closed the road for two years and it only leads to confusion. As BRTS is not operational, some vehicle users enter the corridor and speedily drive. Instead of spending money, PMC should demolish the barricades and allow private vehicles on this stretch.”
Sanjana Pawar, a bus passenger, said, “I travel by bus daily. It is better to close BRTS permanently as I am seeing some or the other work going on the Swargate to Katraj lane for the past eight years. It is wastage of taxpayers’ money. Instead of wasting money, erect a divider and open all the lanes for vehicles. Then it wil be even easy to cross the roads.”
Cost of the Swargate to Katraj BRTS project
In 2016 : Rs 75 crore
In 2018: Rs 105 crore
(Cost increased in 2018 by Rs 30 crore)
Deadlines missed
May 31, 2018
August 1, 2018
December, 2018
March, 2019
