From a robust suburban train network, well-connected bus service to now an ever enhancing spreading Chennai Metro Rail link, Chennai has had a public transport system that is multi-modal. However, experts point out that without a denser network of Metro Rail or in the absence of a scaled-up bus services, private vehicles will continue to take up space, leave behind more carbon footprint than ever each passing day.

There has been a steady rise in the number of two-wheelers, cars and other private vehicles, with the number of non-transport vehicles in the city crossing five million - according to the figures available with the State transport authority, city had as many as 51,50,509 non-transport vehicles as on April 1, 2018. While the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board has the assistance of the Transport Department to conduct emission checks of vehicles through the latter’s centres to give pollution under check certificates every six months, authorities doubt how effectively the services are being used by private vehicle owners.

“There are many who don’t seem to know that a new vehicle should get a PUC certificate after one year of registration and after that, the certificate must be availed every six months,” said an official from the pollution control board. But a senior official from the Transport Department said that the Regional Transport Offices have been creating awareness and have been insisting on owners having the certificates. There are 332 centres in the State to check and issue the certificate, including 63 centres in the city.

Metro network should  be denser, cheaper Gitakrishnan Ramadurai, associate professor, Department of Civil Engineering, IIT-Madras, pointed out that while the latest mode of transport Chennai metro rail is moving in the right direction by introducing share autos in a bid to boost last mile connectivity, the plan for expanding it in the suburban areas is defeating the purpose.

“It is called the Metro for a particular reason – to concentrate in the metro area. The services in the city should be denser and it should not be modelled after the suburban train services,” he pointed out, adding that in world cities like New York or London, one would find a Metro station at every one kilometre.

T Mohan, civic activist, who has taken up several cases concerning the environment, questioned the exorbitant fares of the Metro Rail service. “We are either looking at people who are going to the airport or to the IT corridor being benefitted—which is only about 8 per cent of the population. What happens to the daily wager? Can he or she afford it,” he said.

Mohan also said that the answer to improving connectivity does not lie in expensive infrastructure. “When you design roads for cars, you are negating the purpose of public transport.” It was important to encourage walking and cycling , he added.

“We have people driving by their cars to the railway stations, which should change. It can happen only when the State takes the initiative to make the roads more congenial for public transport. Offices and residents’ welfare association can take micro initiatives to encourage carpooling,” he said.

Gitakrishnan said that the Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTC), which currently has a fleet of more than 3,500 buses, should double the number of vehicles to cater to the needs of the ever-increasing population.

“Last mile connectivity is also relevant for buses,” he said, highlighting the need for the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) which is fast, comfortable and cost-effective. “We can have BRT like the one in Gujarat, which doesn’t cost much to implement it,” he added. The authorities here have been toying with the idea for several years, but nothing has come out of it yet.

According to him, making separate bus lanes and signals prioritising buses can go a long way in making it a viable mode of transport.

Nashwa Naushad, Associate - Urban Development, Institute for Transportation and Development Policy, pointed out that the modal share of bus, walking and cycling in Chennai is already over 60 per cent. She added that to nudge users of private vehicles, especially cars, to shift to public transport, the frequency and quality of buses must be improved.

“Although a relatively smaller section travels by car —around seven per cent – this mode takes up a majority of road space. The existing bus system is very well-connected, but those who are used to the comfort of their own car will shift to public transport when it is more comfortable, less crowded and more frequent,” she said.

With the Corporation of Chennai Non-Motorised Transport Policy in place, Nashwa said that there is a multi-tiered approach to give impetus to walking and cycling, along with public transport, thus improving sustainable transportation holistically.   Ideally, the Chennai Unified Metropolitan Transport Authority (CUMTA) has to be implemented and should be given the task of managing all transport systems, recommended Gitakrishnan.

A mix of fiscal and regulatory policies can make public transport inevitable, said Mohan. “We need to sharply raise the taxes for four-wheeler acquisition, and reward those who opt for public transport as they are doing good for the whole planet,” he added.