BMC approves another dedicated bus route
While residents and transport experts express reservations over the project’s effectiveness, BMC has said that the new lane will be thrown open next month.
BEST’s first attempt to create a dedicated bus lane at the Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC) may have been marred by poor implementation but the idea received a fillip with the BMC approving a similar bus lane from Worli to Mahalaxmi, in South Mumbai. It will be thrown open some time next month.
The civic body, which will spend around Rs 32 lakh to paint the roads and erect bollards, has identified the route which will run along Dr E Moses Road (Worli), Lala Lajpatrai Marg (Mahalaxmi) and Keshvarao Khade Marg near Lower Parel.
In April this year, the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) spent Rs 1.24 crore to create a dedicated bus lane from Kalanagar to MTNL junction. However, residents complained that the lane used up half the road, leaving very little space for the rest of the traffic. Additionally, there were complaints that with little monitoring, vehicles did not pay any attention to the demarcations and encroached upon the lanes. Further, illegal parking of vehicles on the dedicated lanes added to traffic woes.
BEST had carried out a pilot run on the dedicated Worli-Haji Ali bus corridor but officials later decided to extend the lane to Worli Naka and are currently conducting a feasibility study on the same. Officials said that in the second phase, BEST wants to take up more dedicated lanes: Sion-Suman Nagar and Jogeshwari-Borivali on the Western Express Highway, Ghatkopar-Mankhurd Link Road, Oshiwara-Malvani and the Jogeshwari-Vikhroli Link Road.
“Once the BMC demarcates the width of the road for the dedicated lane, buses can ply at high speed and provide services with better frequency,” said the official.
Municipal commissioner Ajoy Mehta had recently said he was in favour of “anything that improved public transport” and that he would expedite the process of setting up dedicated lanes.
Routes should be strategically identified
Meanwhile, transport experts feel that though dedicated bus lanes are required in fast-growing cities, the routes must be strategically identified.
“A lot of time can be saved if they make sure that these lanes ply along suburban railway stations. If this is followed by deploying ordinary and AC buses along these routes, more people will opt for public transport,” said transport expert Ashok Datar.
BEST officials however feel that public support is all it takes to make dedicated lanes work.
“The dedicated lane in the BKC area was a failure initially but now, it is slowly working out. Similarly, the proposed Worli-Mahalaxmi route will also be a success with public support,” said a senior BEST officer.
“Dedicated bus lanes will improve the punctuality of BEST buses and will also benefit Mumbaikars who rue the city’s traffic,” said Manoj Varade, public relations officer, BEST.
BEST’s first attempt to create a dedicated bus lane at the Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC) may have been marred by poor implementation but the idea received a fillip with the BMC approving a similar bus lane from Worli to Mahalaxmi, in South Mumbai. It will be thrown open some time next month.
The civic body, which will spend around Rs 32 lakh to paint the roads and erect bollards, has identified the route which will run along Dr E Moses Road (Worli), Lala Lajpatrai Marg (Mahalaxmi) and Keshvarao Khade Marg near Lower Parel.
“There are issues of road discipline. For the project to succeed, cops have to maintain a strict vigil and penalise vehicles – mostly taxis – which encroach upon the lanes,” said an official from BEST’s transport wing.
In April this year, the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) spent Rs 1.24 crore to create a dedicated bus lane from Kalanagar to MTNL junction. However, residents complained that the lane used up half the road, leaving very little space for the rest of the traffic. Additionally, there were complaints that with little monitoring, vehicles did not pay any attention to the demarcations and encroached upon the lanes. Further, illegal parking of vehicles on the dedicated lanes added to traffic woes.
BEST had carried out a pilot run on the dedicated Worli-Haji Ali bus corridor but officials later decided to extend the lane to Worli Naka and are currently conducting a feasibility study on the same. Officials said that in the second phase, BEST wants to take up more dedicated lanes: Sion-Suman Nagar and Jogeshwari-Borivali on the Western Express Highway, Ghatkopar-Mankhurd Link Road, Oshiwara-Malvani and the Jogeshwari-Vikhroli Link Road.
“Once the BMC demarcates the width of the road for the dedicated lane, buses can ply at high speed and provide services with better frequency,” said the official.
Municipal commissioner Ajoy Mehta had recently said he was in favour of “anything that improved public transport” and that he would expedite the process of setting up dedicated lanes.
Routes should be strategically identified
Meanwhile, transport experts feel that though dedicated bus lanes are required in fast-growing cities, the routes must be strategically identified.
“A lot of time can be saved if they make sure that these lanes ply along suburban railway stations. If this is followed by deploying ordinary and AC buses along these routes, more people will opt for public transport,” said transport expert Ashok Datar.
BEST officials however feel that public support is all it takes to make dedicated lanes work.
“The dedicated lane in the BKC area was a failure initially but now, it is slowly working out. Similarly, the proposed Worli-Mahalaxmi route will also be a success with public support,” said a senior BEST officer.
“Dedicated bus lanes will improve the punctuality of BEST buses and will also benefit Mumbaikars who rue the city’s traffic,” said Manoj Varade, public relations officer, BEST.
