A proper Mass Rapid Transit System is key to solving the traffic woes of densely populated metropolitan areas like India’s National Capital Region
If civic amenities in the Delhi-National Capital Region, particularly in the monsoon season, are any indication, Government bodies there have no full-proof solution for sewerage, de-watering or pot-holes on the road. With regard to traffic management in peak hours, some alternative arrangement is needed. If firms change their working hours in a staggered manner (as per their alphabetic names, for example), it might ease traffic congestion to some significant levels. As some of the alphabets might have larger number of companies, they could be further sub-classified. Even three or four slot of different working hours can solve the traffic problem.
Growing cities, growing population and growing traffic invariably calls for a shift from private modes of conveyance to public transport. A glance at the world's developing nations indicates that well planned Mass Rapid Transit Systems (MRTS) is key. A cheap mode of transport, the MRTS helps in low energy consumption, is eco-friendly (runs on electricity, thus minimising air and sound pollution), averts road accidents, is efficient in terms of space occupancy and provides comfort with modern coaches and systems like automatic ticketing, advanced signalling systems, automatic train protection system and integrated security systems. With proper designing, its peak hour capacity can be rated at three to four lakh passengers per hour. What is needed from the Government is to increase the MRTS’s feeder network.
The MRTS also establishes an urban public transportation system while ensuring smooth road traffic. Incidentally, the law concerning urban monorails in Japan was enacted to establish the monorail as a substantial means of urban transit, capable of satisfying part of the urban traffic demand alongside automobiles, thus increasing traffic capacity, alleviating traffic jams, and ensuring operational punctuality. Urban monorails have become an indispensable means of supporting business activities and daily communications. They also provide mobility to vulnerable users in an aging society. Not only that, monorails even can be constructed over existing roads, parks, squares, rivers, railroad tracks, etc., exploiting the potential for flexible alignment. Efficient installation is thus ensured while minimizing the need to acquire new land. Besides, even commuters have to pull up their socks for timely full-proof maintenance of their vehicles. It will reduce the chances of being trapped in the monsoon-borne traffic mess.
Now sample some incidents: On July 27 two years ago, as many as three Union Ministers, including Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari, got a first-hand experience of the traffic snarls on NH-8, after their cars got stuck in a road congestion near the Kherki Dhaula toll plaza for nearly 20 minutes. Gadkari, alongwith Minister of State for Road Transport and Highways Krishan Pal Gujjar and Minister of State for Planning and Gurgaon MP Rao Inderjit Singh, were visiting Gurgaon to inspect the Delhi-Jaipur, Kundli-Manesar-Palwal and Delhi-Gurgaon expressways. At that time, Gadkari was left with no other option to admit that the traffic situation was very bad on NH-8.
Elaborating on some of the measures, the Singh at that time said that work for the proposed flyover at Hero Honda Chowk would borne by both the Union Government and the Haryana Government in the ratio of 75:25. The construction of the 135.6-km-long expressway (official name Western Peripheral Expressway) started in 2007 and it was to become operational by July 2009 at a cost of `1760 crore. Yet, though the construction company had assured the Haryana Government in October 2010 that the 53-km-long Manesar-Palwal stretch would be finished by March 2011, that too has not been opened for traffic. Work had been completed only on a 48-km section by August 2012 and after that the construction work has stopped. Such is the sad state of affairs.