It’s hard to believe, but rush hour traffic at Haji Ali, one of Mumbai’s busiest intersections, could have been worse. The rapid growth of the city where more than 300-350 vehicles get added to the roads everyday has brought with it problems of traffic management. Desperate for solutions, the city has now put its faith in technology. As part of the World Bank-supported Mumbai Urban Transport Project or MUTP, a modern traffic management system is being introduced that is quietly reducing congestion on city roads. However, picking the right technology for Mumbai’s future posed a challenge of its own. ” Mumbai city is going through a transition phase where major infrastructural programs are being implemented. So we realized that anything fitted under the road could get damaged. So we switched to the camera mode. Such technical changes had to be implemented as we went along,” Mr Rajeev added. Meanwhile, the Mumbai Urban Transport Project, of which the traffic management system is a part, is working towards creating a modern traffic infrastructure by improving Mumbai’s traffic on both road and rail. Although, few years back, bus transport services were available mainly in the cities located in southern and western regions of India, but they are now available in most of the metropolitan cities, thanks to the Government of India’s Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM). Services are mostly run by publicly owned State Transport Undertakings (STUs) or Municipal Transport Undertakings (MTUs). Most of the passenger buses use the standard truck engine and chassis and hence are not economical for city use. There are very few buses in India specifically designed for urban conditions.
Policy measures to improve urban transportation in India:
There is a need to promote not only regional economies in such a way that reduces the need for long-distance travel but also self sufficient compact townships which would reduce the need for short -distance travel within the cities. The promotion of regional economies should be complemented by the creation of compact settlement structures with the provision of shopping, services and recreational facilities and work opportunities close to where people live, so that the trip distance is kept short. In other words, wherever possible, ” towns of short distances” should be promoted (Singh, 2006). There are many benefits of the compact township over urban sprawl, which include less car and two-wheeler dependency thus lower emissions, reduced energy consumption, better public transport services, better accessibility, less traffic accidents, and better quality of life.- Promoting regional economies and compact townships-Focusing on public transport particularly bus transport-Introducing variety of bus transport services-Improving the efficiency of bus transport operation-Adopting optimal pricing strategies for transport services-Enhancing transport coordination-Promoting car sharing-Restraining the use of polluting vehicles and fuels-Tightening vehicle emissions standards and inspection and maintenance programs-implementing demand side management measures-Using supply side management measuresReferences: http://www. worldbank. org/en/news/feature/2011/06/14/mumbai-modern-traffic-management-systemSingh, S. K. (2009). Road Traffic Crashes: The Scourge of UP’s Cities. Economic and Political Weekly, vol. 44, no. 48, pp. 22-24. Singh, S. K. (2008). Transport Policy for Better Air Quality in Urban India. In K. N. Bhatt, eds., Population, Environment, and Health: Emerging Issues; pp. 169-184. Rawat Publications, Jaipur, India. Singh, S. K. (2006). The Demand for Road-based Passenger Mobility in India: 1950-2030 and Relevance for Developing and Developed Countries. European Journal of Transport and Infrastructure Research, vol. 6, no. 3, pp. 247-274. Singh, S. K. (2005). Review of urban transportation in India. Journal of Public Transportation, vol. 8, no. 1, pp. 79-97.
Vienna in Europe:
Vienna has a well-developed public transport network. Buses, trains, trams and underground lines will take you almost anywhere in the city in no time at all. Vienna public transport Wiener Linien operates five underground lines, 29 tram and 90 bus lines, of which 24 are night lines. Night lines only operate between 0. 30 am and 5 am. On weekends and public holidays the Vienna underground remains at the service of its passengers all night. The Wiener Linen vehicle fleet currently consists of over 500 tramcars and almost 500 buses[1]. Vienna public transport is part of the Verkehrsverbund Ost-Region VOR (transport association for Austria’s eastern regions). Verkehrsverbund Ost-Region is split into eight zones and includes parts of Lower Austria, the Burgenland and all of Vienna. The city of Vienna accounts for one full zone or core zone . A single ticket is valid for travelling one way in one zone. You may change to different lines in the course, but you may not interrupt your journey. The task of urban development is to provide fundamental planning tools ensuring Vienna’s innovative development in line with social, economic and ecological requirements. It is clear that this task requires cross-border cooperation with neighbouring provinces and countries, particularly in the framework of the European CENTROPE region[2]. The Urban Development Plan (Stadtentwicklungsplan – STEP) is an important tool in this context. For instance, it specifies whether an area is designated as green space or for traffic purposes, for commercial buildings or housing construction. STEP 05 also defines 13 target areas that have special potential and a key function for the city’s further development. The Traffic and Transport Master Plan, drawn up in 2003, sets out the framework for sustainable and ecological transport strategies. The multi-purpose city map plays a fundamental role in the planning process. Even if most cities already have dense and good working public transport networks, there are a lot of measure that can improve them: accelerating trams and busses, prioritization at intersections, separated lanes, direct lines without the need to change and optimizing of intermodal transfers, in other words, minimizing service interruptions and delays and increasing speed. High and regular service frequencies are also a very important success factor, so that the passengers almost do not need a timetable. Measures for improving safety and security gain importance as well as accessibility for all. Modern ICT tools like smart-phone apps for route planning or large screens for live travel and transfer information complete the range of improvements. All these factors help increase the reliability and therefore the acceptance and usage of public transport[3]. The loss of public space and quality of live would be enormous. Western European cities try to regain space for public transport, cycling and pedestrians for a better public space. A lot has to be done to make the existing public transport infrastructures attractive, but the infrastructural, network and organizational preconditions are in many cases available.
Newyork in north America:
New York City boasts one of the most extensive urban transportation systems in the world, including two distinct mass transit systems: New York Subway—by some measures, the most extensive rapid transit system in the worldStaten Island Railway—not technically part of the Subway, but serves a similar purpose on the Borough of Staten Island; isolated from the national rail network and the New York City SubwayPort Authority Trans-Hudson—rapid transit between Manhattan and New JerseyNew York City’s automobile network is also extensive. It includes many bridges and a limited access highway built by Robert Moses, and is integrated with a street grid that dates to the early 19th century. One of the most famous urban mass transit systems in the world is the New York City Subway. New York City is also served by Port Authority Trans-Hudson (PATH), and an extensive bus system. While extensive, much of New York City’s infrastructure is aging and in need of capital investment. Despite the lack of expansion and investment during the past few decades, many infrastructure projects including the Second Avenue Subway, 7 Subway Extension, Fulton Center, and the East Side Access have already started construction during the 2000s. The New York City Department of Transportation (NYCDOT or DOT) is responsible for the management of much of New York City’s transportation infrastructure. Janette Sadik-Khan is the current Commissioner of the Department of Transportation, and was appointed by Mayor Michael Bloomberg on April 27, 2007[4]. New York presently only boasts the Buffalo Metro Rail, which is arguably a light rail system. Proposals include: Capital district light rail (with State Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno voicing support)42nd Street Light RailStaten Island light rail proposalsRochester is entertaining the idea of getting light rail service. The city has been discussing what to do with the right of way used by its former subway system. The city wants to use the right of way, which used to be the route of the Erie Canal, for light rail, recreate the canal, or fill the trench. The Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) is a list of all projects, or project phases, in New York State proposed for Federal funding, that are scheduled to begin in the four federal fiscal years (FFY) 2011 – 2014 (between October 1, 2010 and September 30, 2014). This time frame is mandated by regulations promulgated under federal law in Title 23 United State Code Section 135. The most recent STIP for New York State was formally approved on September 30, 2011[5]. The New York Metropolitan Transportation Council (NYMTC) is a regional council of governments that is the metropolitan planning organization for New York City, Long Island and the lower Hudson Valley. NYMTC provides a collaborative planning forum to address transportation-related issues, develops regional plans and makes decisions on the use of federal transportation funds[6].
