Economical Transportation Solutions for Sustainable Bangalore
Big Idea for Transportation in Bangalore - Plan for Non Motorized Transportation in Bangalore
When people refer to Bangalore, they immediately visualise the chaotic traffic scenario. A lot of concern has been expressed over the years on the congestion issue with government launching several schemes to improve its traffic (Building several Roads, Flyovers etc) but alas no solution!!
Problem
Bangalore has approximately 6.8 million trips daily. Urban sprawl in years has increased the trip lengths, which has resulted in decreasing mode share of public transportation and increase in private automobiles. The problem is not insufficient roads as made out by the authorities but the priority given to improve vehicular flow rather than improving people movements. The transportation share is nearly 20% of the Bangalore's landuse which simulates international practice. Than why so much congestion?
As per my estimate Bangalore loses out nearly 208 million Rs per day due to congestion (A very Conservative Estimate).
The root cause for congestion can be known from the fact that the 88% of total vehicles constitute only two wheelers and four wheelers, which contribute only 39% of total Trips.
Solution
It is very surprising to know that nearly 25% of trips are made in range of 1-5 km. Nearly 40% of those trips are made by motorised share (Cars/Bikes). We need to eliminate those trips by using non motorised transportation such as by walking, cycling etc.
Provide Pedestrian Facilities.
Bangalore lacks good pedestrian facilities. Pedestrians have to compete with vehicles, hawkers and encroachment to gain space. It is fact that nearly 40% of people killed in accidents in Bangalore are pedestrians. Improving footpaths are very economical way of sustainable transportation, which we often neglect. The pedestrian crossings are very rare to find in Bangalore roads. In fact you may find more number of flyovers in Bangalore than grade separated pedestrian facilities. Authorities need to improve footpaths/ provide pedestrian facilities at war footing.
Provide Cycling Facilities
Cycling as a mode of transport is virtually non-existent in Bangalore (less than 2%). Bangalore has nearly 477853 cycles. Such a large number of cycles does not transform into trips on roads basically due to lack of facilities (less than 15% operational trips). If proper facilities such as cycle tracks are provided by the authorities than the mode share has the potential to improve in Bangalore. It can also be developed as a feeder to public transportation by providing small parking facilities near prominent bus stops. Internationally the City-Bike System is the new big thing. It involves provision of city bikes with proper infrastructure (monthly-annually-fees) with several parking lots provided by the private party. It is considered to be the best option to demotorise thus having a sustainable city.
Stats From CTTP
Some related stats from Bangalore's CTTP (Chapter 3).Distribution of Trips by Purpose
| Purpose | No. | % Share |
| Home Based Work | 1839819 | 29.27 |
| Home Based Education | 738799 | 11.75 |
| Home Based Others | 649737 | 10.34 |
| Non-home based | 92347 | 1.47 |
| Employer Business | 11747 | 0.19 |
| Return | 2953229 | 46.98 |
| Total | 6285678 | 100 |
Distribution of Trips by Mode of Travel
| PT | Car | 2-Wheeler | IPT | Cycle | Walk | Total |
| With
Walk |
||||||
| 2634471 | 416304 | 1845476 | 726425 | 139407 | 523597 | 6285680 |
| 41.91% | 6.62% | 29.36% | 11.56% | 2.22% | 8.33% | 100.00% |
| Without Walk | ||||||
| 2634471 | 416304 | 1845476 | 726425 | 139407 | 0 | 5762083 |
| 45.72% | 7.22% | 32.03% | 12.61% | 2.42% | 0.00% | 100.00% |
Distribution of Trip Length by Purpose of Travel
| Trip Length (KMS) | Home Based Work | Home Based Education | Home Based Other | Non Home Based | Employer Business | Return | Total |
| 0 to 2 | 327907 | 137356 | 28133 | 4852 | 1681 | 223144 | 723074 |
| 2 to 5 | 278904 | 78626 | 120412 | 17595 | 1712 | 458116 | 955365 |
| 5 to 10 | 433673 | 73612 | 87537 | 26870 | 1371 | 579279 | 1202342 |
| 10 to 15 | 422495 | 235376 | 222539 | 21646 | 3759 | 891636 | 1797451 |
| 15 to 20 | 281664 | 156917 | 148359 | 14431 | 2506 | 594424 | 1198301 |
| 20 to 35 | 95176 | 55422 | 41802 | 2939 | 675 | 200621 | 396636 |
| > 35 | 0 | 1490 | 954 | 4013 | 43 | 6011 | 12511 |
| Total | 1839819 | 738800 | 649737 | 92346 | 11747 | 2953230 | 6285680 |
| Avg. Trip Length | 9.26 | 10.88 | 11.52 | 10.98 | 10.72 | 11.08 | 10.57 |
Distribution of Trips by Mode & Trip Length
| Trip Length (KMS) | Bus | Car | Two Wheeler | Three Wheeler | Cycle | Walk | Total |
| 0 to 2 | 197 | 46 | 142633 | 0 | 59137 | 521061 | 723074 |
| 2 to 5 | 117434 | 27809 | 482306 | 279891 | 45390 | 2536 | 955365 |
| 5 to 10 | 134333 | 151603 | 725082 | 165814 | 25509 | 0 | 1202342 |
| 10 to 15 | 1429620 | 152409 | 316173 | 192265 | 6560 | 0 | 2097026 |
| 15 to 20 | 612694 | 65318 | 135503 | 82399 | 2811 | 0 | 898725 |
| 20 to 35 | 329555 | 17627 | 43779 | 5675 | 0 | 0 | 396636 |
| > 35 | 10639 | 1492 | 0 | 381 | 0 | 0 | 12511 |
| Total | 2634471 | 416304 | 1845476 | 726425 | 139407 | 523597 | 6285680 |
| Avg. Trip Length | 14.99 | 11.59 | 8.02 | 8.59 | 3.88 | 1.01 | 10.57 |
Trees and Transportation
Trees in trouble (http://www.deccanherald.com/Content/Jan292008/snt2008012849110.asp)
Plans are afoot to fell thousands of trees to make way for roads. Kathyayini Chamaraj wonders why trees have to always bear the brunt of development.
The voiceless victims of development, or rather, the devastation of Bangalore are its road-side trees, which until now also constituted its pride and soul. But, in the mercenary rush characteristic of new Bangalore, trees are considered a nuisance to be hacked away at the slightest inconvenience.
The latest is, of course, that the trees are a hindrance to people rushing about in their individual cocoons, called cars. Whole lines of trees on 84 roads, numbering thousands, are to be hacked away because Bangalore, if it has to be a global city with any self-respect, has to have 6-laned roads.
Alternative Law Forum, CIVIC, Environment Support Group, and a few concerned individuals, under the banner of Hasiru Usiru (HU), are daring to raise their voice against this collective suicide.
The body authorised to give permission for felling trees in any urban area is the Tree Authority, to be set up under the Karnataka Preservation of Trees Act, 1976.
* HU has questioned whether this has been constituted, with three non-official representatives, and if its permission has been taken for the large-scale felling of trees.
* HU has questioned whether road-widening is necessary at all since the proposed Metro will be passing through many of these areas and the quantum of vehicular traffic is expected to reduce on these roads.
Surprisingly, the National Urban Transport Policy (NUTP), which has been passed by the Union Cabinet in 2006, has enlightened elements, which have come as a god-send to HU activists.
The vision of NUTP is to recognise that “people occupy centre-stage in our cities and all plans would be for their common benefit and well being”. The NUTP recognises that “a disproportionate amount of road space is being allocated to personal vehicles”. The mission of the NUTP is hence to bring about “a more equitable allocation of road space with people, rather than vehicles, as its main focus” and “encourage greater use of public transport and non-motorised modes”.
The NUTP says the vision and mission can be achieved “by reserving lanes and corridors exclusively for public transport and non-motorised modes of travel”. The drawings of the plans to widen some of the roads, such as Palace Road and Seshadri Road, which have been given to HU, merely show two red lines indicating the new width of the road. The final design of the roads has not been given. (See below for these drawings)
HU has been questioning why an earlier decision to create dedicated lanes for cycles and two and three-wheelers, while retaining the trees as the median, was given up, after public assurances regarding the same were given in newspapers? Urban Planner Dr S Prasanna has submitted that it is possible to do this. In Bangalore, where the chaos and deaths are mainly due to cycles and two and three-wheelers weaving in and out amidst 4-wheelers, there is a case for such a design for the road. This would not only preserve the road’s aesthetics and be environment-friendly, but also add to road capacity, while enhancing safety and speed of travel.
The NUTP calls for the setting up of a Unified Metropolitan Transport Authority in all 1-million plus cities for better coordination. Karnataka is however one of the first states which has done this by setting up the Bangalore Metropolitan Land Transport Authority (BMLTA). The NUTP also calls for an ‘integrated urban transport policy and plan’ which looks at multi-dimensional ways of de-congesting the city. Widening roads has never provided the solution for congestion anywhere in the world.
The NUTP states that the Centre is willing to finance projects that “divert funds from projects that add to road capacity towards public transit systems” and “to promote non-motorised transport”. These points could be made use of to acquire more land, if necessary, along these roads to create additional lanes, while retaining the trees. As most of the lands in these areas belong to government, this should not be difficult.
In response to the memorandum submitted on 30.10.07 to the Governor by CIVIC on behalf of HU, the Chief Secretary & Chairman of the BMLTA called for a special meeting of the BMLTA and allowed CIVIC to make a 10-minute presentation on November 30, 2007. The meeting failed to address almost all of the concerns expressed by HU. Disappointed, a public meeting was called by HU on December 20, 2007. However, not a single member of BMLTA participated.
Meanwhile, a Comprehensive Traffic and Transportation Plan for Bangalore (CTTPB) has been drawn up by KUIDFC, accepts all the suggestions made in the NUTP but in its implementation plan, includes only a few of the measures. It does identify certain out-lying roads for the creation of Bus Rapid Transport System. But, it seems to accept road-widening as inevitable and hence many of the measures suggested and allocations made are for road-widening and construction of underpasses. However, there are no plans for introducing fiscal incentives and disincentives, such as congestion tax, graded parking fees, etc; no identification of only-pedestrian-zones, NMV zones; car-free days, etc. which could all be undertaken in the short-term to reduce personal vehicles on the roads.
There have also been reminders from the Ministry of Urban Development to the State. The Secretary to the Government of India has requested feedback from State authorities on action taken for the implementation of NUTP 2006.
The suggestions of HU were for an integrated, holistic, sustainable and equitable urban transport system for Bangalore. The onus to establish the rationale, on the same lines, for the current ad hoc decision to widen roads and fell trees, lies on the current decision-makers. Until the rationale and justification for the current decision is established, the plans to fell trees must be put on hold.