06.20.06
Public Transport in Pune – A Review
Join over 690 people who have supported this Online Campaign to Improve Public Transport in Pune. The details are as under –
Support this Campaign in 3 Easy Steps:
- Please visit http://www.gopetition.com/online/8517.html
- Read the petition and Click Sign at the Bottom of the Page
- Finally enter your details on the form at the bottom of the page and click sign.
Background
Pune is a city in the state of Maharashtra, is situated approximately 180 kilometers southeast of Mumbai at the confluence of the Mula & Mutha at an elevation of approximately 560 meters above sea level.
Over the past 30 years, urbanized areas have increased by 240% while agricultural and grassland/scrub areas have decreased by 31% and 39%, respectively.
The Pune City had 2.5 million people in 2001, a 62% increase since 1991. The population is now estimated at around 4 million (40 lacs). The Per Capita Income in 2004 of Pune was Rupees 50400/ per year. With zero percent loans available, it not surprising that the increase in vehicle population has been even more dramatic. The number of registered vehicles increased 97% between 1997 and 2002, from 475,583 vehicles to 938,125 vehicles. Each month 7000 – 10,000 new vehicles are registered (a rate of over 300 per day). In 2003-04 approximately 110000 vehicles were registered. Pune roads have grown 5 times since 1960, but the vehicles have increased by 87%
In contrast, the Public Transport in Pune run by the Pune Municipal Transport (PMT) has hardly changed in its capacity. The current number of buses run by PMT is expected to be around 1000 (about 150 leased). The CIRT has recommended that the number be 40 buses per 100,000 (1 lacs people). Thus at least 1600 buses are required to run a good service. It is not clear and hence it should be presumed that CIRT is referring to full size buses and not mini buses (which PMT runs on several routes) when making their recommendations. Moreover to operate a good service, maintenance of vehicles is paramount. A significantly small number of buses may have to be off road due this reason. Also around 250 school buses and about 7,500 buses (as on March 31st, 2002) are registered in Pune to cater to the needs of a large number of industries, offices, and the nearby region ply on Pune roads. In short, around 1800 buses may well be required by the PMT at the outset and more in proportion to population growth. Statistics above suggest that the population grew by 37% since 2000-01. If the population grows at a similar rate, the number of buses required by 2010 will be approximately 2200.
The plot below shows trends over 1997 – 2004 for different category of vehicles in Pune. It is not surprising that the line representing PMT is flat.
Another startling fact that comes out of the CIRT report is that the number of scheduled kilometers in 1999 was 648.52 lacs, increasing only to 674.85 lacs. Thus despite massive increase in the population and the geographic boundaries of the city, the distance covered by PMT buses has hardly increased.
Compounding factors:
The above situation has been compounded by the lack of basic infrastructure within Pune. Existing roads are well known to be pothole ridden. Some roads seem as if they were a part of a ‘war zone’. Rather than resurface the existing roads, money is being spent on ad-hoc measures such as building flyovers (some being built for 2 years and still not near completion) & widening roads at the cost of footpaths. Such is the situation that on most major roads such as S B Marg (one amongst 40% roads of Pune without footpaths); pedestrians are being pushed to share the same space as with motorized and non-motorised vehicles.
Consequences
Pollution
The consequence of the above is that at peak times the city roads are congested and gridlocked. Still worse, due to continuing use of old vehicles, especially 2 stroke rickshaws and huge number of 2 wheelers, the city is extremely polluted. Fewer than 30 % of the vehicles in Pune met the emission norms in 2000. The World Bank report in Dec 2003 placed Pune as the fifth most polluted city in Asia.
Some 210 tons per day of total pollution is produced in the city. Around 40% of the pollution is due to vehicles. PM10 (also referred to as respiratory suspended particulate matter, RSPM) are significant in causing medical problems (asthma and lung cancers). As per the National Ambient Air Quality Standards pollution levels should not exceed the stipulated level more than 2 percent of the time in a whole year and not on two consecutive days. It is reported that the PM10 levels at Karve Road in Pune exceed the stipulated level more than 50 percent of the time. Bhosari, an industrial area, has recorded the lowest levels of SPM, which are less than half of the levels recorded at Swargate, a commercial and a transport-intensive area. The SPM (and concomitantly PM10) levels are the highest at Swargate, though they are quite high at Nal-Stop as well. SPM has been steadily rising over the years and is currently more than twice as high as the permissible level of 140ug/m3. Assuming that PM10 is approximately 40 percent of the SPM level, the average annual PM10 level would be approximately 128ug/m3, which is greater than twice the permissible limit of 60ug/m3.
There are mixed reports on pollution due to NO2 & SO2. Though a declining trend in the NO2 & SO2 level has been reported, both these pollutants have in the past often exceeded the permissible limits.
But pollution of air is not the only thing we need to worry about. The average noise level at Karve road is reportedly around 95db. This is much higher than the permitted level of 65db. At peak (rush hours) the levels are known to rise up to 125db. Sustained noise at this level can lead to deafness. But subtle effects of a combination of the noise and air pollution include irritability, fatigue, anger and their consequences.
Accidents & deaths
But there are bigger costs of the above state of affairs. Accidents and deaths are a common place in Indian cities. Unlike cities in the West, pedestrians, bicyclists and Motorized Two Wheelers constitute 75% of the total fatalities in road traffic crashes. A total of 2001 accidents occurred in the year 2004 of which 348 were fatal, 278 were serious and 1383 were minor; eventually claiming about 400 lives.
Summary
As discussed above, Pune is caught in a vicious cycle. The cycle begins with unplanned urbanisation but leads to - increased vehicular traffic, congestion, pollution, poor quality of life and failing economy. When the latter happens, we look for solutions that only lead to repetition of the cycle.
It is time to act and do something about this.
Join over 690 people who have supported this Online Campaign to Improve Public Transport in Pune. The details are as under –
Support this Campaign in 3 Easy Steps:
1. Please visit http://www.gopetition.com/online/8517.html
2. Read the petition and Click Sign at the Bottom of the Page
3.Finally enter your details on the form at the bottom of the page and click sign.
-Dr Adhiraj Joglekar (MBBS, MD, DNB, MRCPsych) UK
Sujit Jadhav said,
July 4, 2006 at 10:40 am
I do support
Anant Bhatia said,
July 5, 2006 at 9:23 am
I support the cause but the road tax thing will be too much…..
wudnt it mean that the petrol/diesel prices wud increase more….
i mean the existing Rs. 54 + road tax…..
there is no need 4 such a thing…
take the example of BEST in mumbai…
i wud luv to travel in a BEST bus instead of a PMT bus just because you can feel the difference in 10 seconds of staying in each….
nothing more needs to be said…..
evrything else is good…
A.Shroff said,
July 11, 2006 at 2:06 pm
how about a metro system as well??..also i would like to know if we have enough roads that are wide enough to support dedicated bus lanes.
tejas said,
July 12, 2006 at 11:28 pm
i also would like a study on the feasibility of a metro system in pune. pune city is a geographically small region, so around 10-15 stations should link up most of the city, and each of the suburbs can have a separate station.
Dilip Risbud said,
July 12, 2006 at 11:36 pm
I have heard that BEST had offered to manage the bus service several years ago in Pune but was turned down. What a pity!
The road situation in Pune is utterly hopeless…and has always been. Water and electricity situation is not any better either. Pune’s growth is not surprising and certainly the city govt. must have seen it coming. As usual, no planning, no foresight, no action.
Pune (as all cities in India) needs a much stronger campaign to modernize the basic infrastructure - roads, water and electricity.
Sanjay Deshpande said,
July 14, 2006 at 10:24 pm
Dear Friend,
In the year 2003, more than 250 citizens died. More than 2 Thousand have been permanently handicapped for life. This is not happening in the State of Kashmir. It is in Pune City.
Who is responsible?
Punes’ so called CEO Suresh Kalmadi.
Everyday, somewhere or the other in the city a family weeps for its member who has died in an accident. Children are orphaned. Those who didn’t die, are killed by the hospitalization bills.
Today it is them.Tomorrow it could be your dear ones turn. Be prepared. In next few years each family in Pune will have atleast one member who has died in an accident. This is not war against an enemy terrorist but war against a corrupt Indian politician.
Why has Pune’s roads into killer machines?
It is because of the rapid rise in self-driven vehicles. Pune has the highest two-wheelers and Four Wheelers sales in the country. Ask any resident of Pune, why he buys his own vehicle. It is only because unlike Bombay, Pune has an extremely poor public transport system. If a city like Bombay,Ahmedabad,Bangalore can have an effective transport system why can’t Pune?
Why is Suresh Kalamadi doing it - For SAI Service?
Vested interest. The Suresh Kalmadi own’s Pune’s leading Two-wheeler and Four Wheeler dealer company- Sai Service. It makes money by selling two and four wheelers. More sales. More Money. The Kalmadi’s have more than 10 outlets spread across the city to sell motor vehicles. It is the Kalmadi family’s business interests that has motivated Suresh Kalamdi to implement a sinister plan.
“Kill Punes’ Public Transport system”.
So that Puneites now have only one option-buy a two wheeler or four wheeler to be move around.
Suresh Kalmadi belongs to the Congress Party that controls the Parliment, State and Pune Muncipal Corporation which makes the city’s development decisions.Now he controls how we live.
How he has done it?
Here are examples of Suresh Kalmadi’s wicked policies.
1) Instead utilizing the Rs1000 crore budget to implement a viable Public transport system that can cover more than 500 square km, he is utilizing the funds to implement a hitech sky bus transport which will cover only 25 km.
2) PMC has stopped funding Pune Municipal Transport to buy better buses to meet the increasing demand.So today, citizens have to
wait for hours for a bus. Once you are in citizens are squeezed.
3) PMC has banned the Six-Seater off city limits.Another travel option has been cut.
4)When he was the Railway minister he didn’t approve the Ring Railway for Pune city.
5)He is instrumental in allowing the interstate heavy trucks to move through the ciy. Though there are alternative by-pass routes available through the outskirts.
6)He is utilizing the valuable funds to implement funny projects.
If the public transport facilities in Pune improve, poeple can travel easily and they will stop buying own vehicles from his outlets. Kalmadi will lose money.
What motivated the writer to research and write this article?
I lost my son in an accident. Details of his and my pain, I don’t want to share.
So many people in Pune have lost their children, brothers and sisters in accident. So why should only I be sad and angry?
1)You tell me how many cities are there in this world where on an average two lifes are lost daily to accidents?
2)Can’t we make Pune city like other cities in the country, where there are few accidents?
3)Why should we have our children, brothers and sisters killed and injured like this?
4)Wouldn’t it have been better if they died defending our nation?
What the writer is going to do about it?
-It is my life’s mission to make Pune safer.
For me it has been late. But for you “Better late, than never”.
What you can do about it?
1)Please forward this email to as many Puneites as you can.
2)When to see an accident victim, please please spare a few minutes make sure the victim receives help or atleast call ambulance and police.
3)Wear a helment
4)Follow traffic rules
5)Drive Safely
6)Stop buying vehicles from SAI Service.
NOTE: Few years back Suresh Kalmadi’s daughter was involved in accident in which she had dirven her Maruti GYPSY over a man. The man died on the spot. Who Cares?
JAI HIND.
Amit Kadu said,
July 17, 2006 at 8:55 pm
I do support
Sachi said,
August 21, 2006 at 4:30 pm
Isnt it about the time citizens come on the street and kill those corrupt politicians and the government babus? How long we would keep signing the online petition? How does it help? How long we would just keep thinking? When is the time for action? Why people of Pune are not united like in Mumbai? Is it not time to get united, gherao PMC, Kalmadi, Sharad, Ajit and so called political leaders? How many more deaths and broken legs and broken souls is going to wake up indifferent Punekar?
Dr Joglekar said,
August 23, 2006 at 5:34 pm
I urge readers to visit http://better-pune.tripod.com/ where a more detailed article ‘Pune caught in a Whirlpool - Can a Modern Public Transport System Rescue it’ is available for download.
Visit Articles section and read article on why sky bus (and hence for similar reasons) Metro system will not be the right thisng for Pune right now.
Also read ‘Why I oppose balbharati_paud Road’
Hope this helps.
Dr Joglekar
Gargi said,
September 30, 2006 at 11:33 am
I, a student in 10th standard, do whole heartedly support this motion.
I being a recident of tilak rd, continously experience the worst Pubic transport system, poor roads and traffic jams. We’ve got to do something to stop this thing getting worse day by day.
Amod Dange said,
October 12, 2006 at 2:39 am
The report DOES NOT give a comprehensive solution. The very idea of Mass Transit is outdated. A centrally controlled transportation network that carries people much like the internet carries data packets on dedicated lines, directly from origin to destination, is the solution.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Personal_rapid_transit
India has a unique opportunity to skip a whole generation of technology and go directly to the future AHEAD of the West. The proliferatin of PRT has been slow in the West due to political reasons, the technology is already there. Please look at the various PRT projects taking shape across the world RIGHT NOW and convince your council members to adopt a resolution to build such a network. It is the only sustainable solution.
saurabh pawar said,
November 22, 2006 at 1:00 pm
Respected sir,
We study in 10th in jnana prabodhini we are doing futurology project . Our subject is PUNE’S FUEL DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM . we want some information from you.please contact us on
saurabh_pawar1991@yahoo.co.in
your sincerely
Manasi Godbole said,
December 12, 2006 at 10:19 pm
Respected Sir,
I am studying In 10th std. in jnana Prabodhini. We are doing a project on FUTUROLOGY OF SCHOOLS IN PUNE. We want some information from you. Please contact me on manu11_godbole@yahoo.com.
Thanking you,
Yours sincerely,
Manasi Godbole
Pune360.com said,
December 13, 2006 at 9:22 am
The contact person for more details on this article is :
adhiraj.joglekar@googlemail.com
Dr Lele said,
January 16, 2007 at 6:26 pm
Shri Dange,
Please visit http://better-pune.tripod.com/ and check out the articles section.
Also read Dr Joglekar’s full article - Pune Caught in Whirlpool - he has detailed in depth different solutions that PMC should look at.
K K Narayanan said,
January 29, 2007 at 2:25 pm
Indeed we are all caught in this vicious circle of such mismanagement by the muncipal authorities.
I surely support and join you to work for better.
Vinod said,
April 10, 2007 at 5:22 pm
I am an outsider, but the ply of pune is worse to be described, especially works by PMC.
No proper public transport
No proper Road,
Highly polluted
In effective traffic rules.
If the city is inviting IT buzz….then why not make them better way of living.
At least the basics…..
Roshan Kumar Singh said,
September 22, 2007 at 8:47 am
I too agree Pune roads are very bad. And one thing which I see is that for some reason or the other the authorities do not like good roads in Pune.
The moment they see the road is good they start digging it for some reason or the other.
There is no traffic regulations. No one follows traffic rules. There is no sufficient traffic police at the traffic signals to take care of the situation
Kedar said,
November 16, 2007 at 4:19 pm
Hi ,
It feels shameful for talking about “state of Pune” which is at present. Especially of roads and transportation.
At present I stay in Bangalore and find many aspects which Pune should learn for positive results and many of “what to avoid” from failures/issues Bangalore is facing now . Pune should avoid these and plan accordingly.
Some existing positive aspects (even today in Bangalore !):
1. Many people patiently wait at signal .Don’t jump it.
2. Many ONE WAYS are honoured and people don’t break it like they do in Pune.
3. There are atleast 4-5 types of CITY BUS services :
1. Blue - Ordinary ,Janta
2. Brown : Pushpak : For some long routes without many stops and better seating arrangements.
3. Volvo : AC buses for major IT hubs.
4.Green : ONLY FOR PASS HOLDERS.
5. VIOLET/other color : ONLY FOR LADIES.
Many buses have “hydraulic door systems fitted” ensuring fixed amount of persons boarding it.
Service is abandunt and cheaper than Pune. (STill people find it lacking and inadequate here - due to huge demand and rush !!).
There are better decentralised Bus Hubs/depots for efficient management (Bangalore City transport with it’s all shortcomings is still a “Profitable organisation - NO LOSSES which is creditable !)
Another aspect: Road dividers are honoured ! (not broken /twisted like we find in Pune !)
Almost every Traffic Police person has a Mask & a wireless set !
Traffic control room numbers WORK ! They indeed tell you to avoid certain route !
There are MULTIPLE RING ROAD /PERIPHERAL roads which help divert heavy traffic and city traffic as well.
Many a times innovative solutions for ROAD maintenance are used ( e.g. Use of Condoms in road surfacing / drive to collect Plastic wastege from private homes - and recycle it to use in road surfacing !)
However Bangalore is choking and very severely - it is exploding !
Road widening is not adequate. Nr. of Flyovers are NOT adequate !
Design of Flyovers many times is an issue , creating bottlenecks/ or just shifting to “congestion point from x to y location “.- PMC should study these and AVOID at any cost to be “future proof “.
There is so much to write , but let me stop now.
If ONE state in INDIA can DO IT ; why can’t Other ? Why don’t we “see and Learn”.
Arun Pisal said,
November 22, 2007 at 1:08 pm
Pune like Banglor In 2007. the Banglor had some problame of transport. there is a number of vehicles but road so small. in that condication traffic slow.pune city also like Banglor.
tina shah said,
December 27, 2007 at 3:23 am
I support the cause, greedy politicians are murdering innoccent people in accidents.