Janmarg, also known as Ahmedabad BRTS, is a bus rapid transit in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India. It is operated by Ahmedabad Janmarg Limited, a subsidiary of Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation and others. It is designed by CEPT University. It was inaugurated in October 2009. The network expanded to 89 kilometres (55 mi) by December 2015 with daily ridership of 132,000 passengers. BRTS won several nation and international awards for design, implementation and operation. It was rated Silver on BRT Standard in 2013. It is criticized for failing to increase the number of public transport users in the city.
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History
Ahmedabad has a population of more than 6.3 million and an extended population of 7.2 million. It is the sixth largest city and seventh largest metropolitan area of India. Keeping in the view of increasing population and need of expansion of public transport, the bus rapid transport system was envisioned.
In 2005, the feasibility study reports were prepared by the state project development agency, Gujarat Infrastructure Development Board, and later by CEPT University. The study was headed by H. M. Shivanand Swamy; an economist, urban planner and associate director of CEPT. The project was sanctioned by the Ministry of Urban Development under JNNURM program in 2005.
Technical procedures was started in 2006. CEPT designed the system after detailed analysis. Based on an analysis of the socio-economic factors, travel demand patterns, road network characteristics, metro plan and existing Ahmedabad Municipal Transport Service (AMTS) route network, a network of roads covering about 155 kilometers in length was identified for developing the BRTS. The trial run started in July 2009. The first corridor connecting Pirana to RTO Junction was opened to public on 14 October 2009 by then the Chief Minister of Gujarat, Narendra Modi. Second half of the first phase of the BRTS was inaugurated on 25 December 2009. It was stretched up to Kankaria Lake later to cater eastern part of the city. It is extended from Shivranjani to Iskcon Temple on 15 September 2012. On 28 September 2012, it expanded from Soni ni Chali to Odhav. The network expanded to 89 km by December 2015 at the total cost of INR 1200 crore. The third phase of the project includes Shivranjani-APMC, Jashodanagar-Hathijan, Sola-Science City, Narol-Aslali and Akhbarnagar-Gota Crossroads stretches. It was approved in 2013 and is underconstruction. Dedicated buses for women were introduced in January 2016.
In future, BRTS will be integrated with underconstruction Ahmedabad Metro. The underconstruction Gujarat International Finance Tec-City will be accessible through this multimodal mix of rapid transport systems.
Several cities are constructing and planning BRTS based on the model of Ahmedabad such as Chennai, Bangalore, Mumbai, Amritsar and Bhubaneswar.
Routes
Following are the 14 currently operational routes in both directions serving 126 BRTS stations and cabins at extended routes:
- RTO Circle to Maninagar
- Narol to Naroda Gam
- Vasna to Naroda Gam
- RTO Circle to Hatkeshwar
- Iskcon to Naroda Gam
- Ghuma Gam to Maninagar
- Sola Bhagwat to Maninagar
- Science city Approach to S. P. Ring Road
- Science city Approach to Delhi Darwaja
- Narol to Zundal
- Commerce Six Road to Zundal Circle
- S. P. Ring Road to Town Hall
- RTO Circular(101)
- RTO Anti-circular(201)
Operation
Ahmedabad Janmarg Limited (AJL), the parent company which governs BRTS operations in Ahmedabad, was constituted as a Special Purpose Vehicle by Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation, Ahmedabad Urban Development Authority and Government of Gujarat. AJL introduced Automated fare collection system through smart cards for commuters.
It has a mixed fleet of air conditioned and non-air conditioned buses. It has 220 Euro III and Euro IV-compliant diesel buses. Parts for the buses are provided by Tata Motors. These buses are built by Chartered Speed locally according to specifications.
The system runs on Integrated Transportation Management System (IMTS) which includes Advanced Vehicle Tracking System (AVLS), Fleet Management System (FMS), Automatic Fare Collection System (AFCS), Passenger Information System (PIS), Passenger announcement (PA), and Vehicle Scheduling and Dispatching (VSD). These technologies are provided by the consortium of Vayam Technologies and GMV Innovating Solutions since 2010. As a part of Intelligent Transit Management System (ITMS), an app based and QR code powered ticketing system will be introduced by June 2017.
Recognition
Ahmedabad BRTS was rated Silver on BRT Standard in 2013. It was showcased at 2012 United Nations Climate Change Conference as a 'lighthouse project' as part of the United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's Momentum for Change Initiative.
Awards
- National Award for "Award for Excellence in the category of Best IMTS Project - 2011" from Government of India
- International Award for "Sustainable Transport Award - 2010" at Washington DC, United States.
- National Award for "Best Mass Transit Rapid System Project - 2009" from Government of India.
- International Award for "Outstanding Innovations in Public Transportation - 2010" from UITP, Germany
- National Award for "Best Innovation Project Towards Improvement in Urban Mobility in the City of Ahmedabad through New Technological Innovations in Janmarg BRTS - 2010" from Government of India.
- International Award for Design - "Daring Ambition Award and Knowledge and Research Award - 2011" at 59th UITP World Congress, Dubai.
- UITP India Political Commitment Award at 60th UITP World Congress, Geneva on 27 May 2013
- Markenomy Awards 2013 for " Best Urban Infra Mass Transport Project" from Falcom Media at Mumbai
Criticism
BRTS failed to increase the number of public transport users in Ahmedabad. Before launch of BRTS, in 2009, the number of public transport users (users of AMTS) was 8 to 8.5 lakh. After six years of operation, in January 2016, it is found that the number of public transport users (combined users of BRTS and AMTS) dropped to 7.5 lakh. During the same period, the number of private vehicles in the city increased by 54%, up from 18.2 lakh to 25.10 lakh. Only 18% of the total population of the city uses public transport.
In 2011, 42 km network of BRTS had daily average passenger traffic of 1.2 lakh which increased only marginally to 1.32 lakh in 2016 despite expansion of network to 89 km.
In 2015, AJL spent INR 98 crore on operation incurring loss of INR 35 crore. In 2015, there are 213 buses with AJL. 80% of them are air conditioned diesel buses which has average of 1.5 km per litre of diesel resulting in increase in air pollution. Air conditioned buses can not be run on CNG and they are meant to attract more passengers. Dedicated BRTS corridors causes traffic jams at several places especially in Old Ahmedabad.
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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