The People’s Plan to save the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) undertaking has suggested introducing priority bus lanes across the city, starting with the Western Express Highway (WEH).
The plan prepared by citizens’ collective Aamchi Mumbai Aamchi BEST was unveiled recently.
Transport expert Ashok Datar said the high density of vehicles and commuters on the WEH made it the perfect candidate for dedicated bus lanes. Moreover, the entire highway has at least six lanes, so vehicles other than buses will still have two lanes in either direction.
“People are wary about a dedicated bus lane because they think it takes a lane away. But in fact, it improves efficiency. The WEH can be a shining example of this project as it will radically cut down travel time and be a great incentive for people to switch to buses,” he said.
Tackling congestion
According to the People’s Plan, priority bus lanes across the city will cost a fraction of the expenses on the Coastal Road, and will also ensure more passenger trips for BEST. Hussain Indorewala, co-convenor of Aamchi Mumbai Aamchi BEST, said, “The goal of a public transport plan should be to reduce congestion. The Coastal Road only promotes more private vehicles, which will increase congestion, whereas dedicated bus lanes will provide an incentive for people to switch from cars to buses.”
Mr. Datar said Mumbai is the only city where a dedicated bus lane could be successfully implemented due to the sheer density of vehicles on roads.
Fleet insufficient
The two dedicated bus lanes created by the BEST in the past have been shut down. The one at Bandra Kurla Complex had reduced travel time from 37 minutes to 15 minutes. BEST officials said drainage repair works forced the utility to close the lane, but have cited the growing number of vehicles and congestion, as well inadequate buses, as reasons for the project’s failure.
Surendrakumar Bagde, General Manager, BEST said, “We can start bus lanes if we can make them efficient. There is no point having a dedicated lane if we do not have buses to ply at regular intervals. We are trying to procure more buses on wet lease. Once they come through, we can deploy them on dedicated corridors where commuters can be assured there will be a bus every five to 10 minutes. The concept can be successful on WEH, but there needs to be discipline among motorists for proper execution.”
Mr. Bagde said the transport undertaking will review the lane at BKC once the repairs are complete, and the possibility of introducing one at WEH.
BEST officials also said that bus corridors are normally on the left, making them difficult to regulate as residential and commercial buildings are all on the left of the road. “More often than not, autorickshaws and taxis drive in the bus lanes, which are empty. Bus lanes can work only if they are on the right side of the road, like in Pune,” said a BEST official.
Significant impact
Mr. Datar agreed that having the bus lanes in the middle of the road — on the right in either direction — is ideal, but is not possible in Mumbai because of the flyovers. WEH, he said, had very few offices and homes opening onto the road, as there is a service road along almost the entire stretch.
He said it is true that buses should run at a good frequency in dedicated lanes, but even with the current fleet, bus corridors would make a tremendous impact as buses would be able to complete more trips.