Bus Rapid Transit can make Western Freeway Sea Link, Peddar Road Flyover and Mumbai Metro Redundant
March 30, 2006
In 1998, the Mumbai Metro plan was put forth by consortium lead by Tatas. However that did not address road congestion directly and cost, as expected, was very high. When the Haji Ali - Wilson College Viaduct (commonly known as Peddar Road Flyover) proposal was put forth in 2001 by MSRDC, it was conceived that the traffic bottle neck would be ease at Haji Ali and Peddar Road.The Worli-Nariman Point Western Freeway Sea Link was awaiting environmental clearance although the Bandra Worli Sea Link was already undergoing escalation in costs during its much delayed construction. With uncertainty looming large on the sealink route, expeditious commencement and completion of the Peddar Road Viaduct is found necessary.
The Mumbai Metro as conceived and proposed by MMRDA/Delhi Metro was conceptually finalised to some significant degree of detail only in February 2004. Only in March 2005 have MMRDA/BEST seriously considered to adopt Exclusive Bus Lanes to ply buses. For reasons best known to them, GoM/MMRDA have been ignoring the option of Skybus.
A study shows that by providing about 200 km of Bus Rapid Transit Systems and about 80 km of Skybus, Mumbai will augment its public transport capacity so significantly that there would be a 25% surplus capacity over what is needed today for a AC comfort commuting in suburban trains, buses or skybus at waiting time about a minute to three. All this would cost just about Rs 6,000 Cr. and could be completed within five years. Compare this with about Rs 40,000 Cr. of Mumbai Metro which would get completed in not less than 15 years.
It would do well if the GoM gave priority to the Skybus and BRTS and then look at any new flyover project to suit the need of such economical alternative, including the Peddar Road Flyover. It would also do well if it looked at this option over the much touted Mumbai Metro.Issues Which Concern Us (India)
Civil & Structural Consulting Engineer, from IIT Bombay, A Concerned Citizen working actively for Solutions to Urban Challenges such as Transportation, Noise, Disaster Mitigation and Social Harmony
27 March 2006
Gilbert Buildings, 1 Babulnath 2nd Cross Lane Mumbai 400 007 India
badami @vsnl.com98 216 85072
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