A BRTS trial run experience in Ahmedabad

It was a sombre Saturday morning when I boarded a trial run of Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS) at Keshavbaug near Shivranjani. The bus looked deserted as there were a few passengers. As I made a mental count of the seats on one row it seemed somewhere around 35 seats. There was indeed ample gully space for passengers to move comfortably I thought as I lowered myself next to an elderly passenger. As the bus picked up speed I saw overhead a neon strip showed in sparkling letters: “JANMARG – People’s transport in Vibrant Gujarat.” Since it was a trial run I was sure there would be no tickets and yet I asked my co-passenger.: No tickets for anyone?

“No,” he replied adding it was a test run. It will continue till 15th of August by which time BRTS would become fully functional.

The advent of BRTS could be compared to a convenient light rail service without entering any crowded railway station. Its cost works out to be much cheaper than other transport given its advantages.. Instead of the bus stops and climbing steps up onto the bus, there are enclosed stations that allow you to enter onto the bus across a platform. The fare is paid in advance at a machine and the vehicle travels in dedicated lanes without the usual cumbersome city traffic being an hindrance. Though these are diesel buses their pollution norms are strictly Euro complaint.

It took nearly 3 minutes for the bus to cover a 1 km distance during the trial run Friday. As I cruised along effortlessly along Helmet chowk flyover, Pragatinagar, Vyasvadi, Ranip the bus came to a smooth halt at RTO. The bus No 10 (with a Registration No GJ1B9014) turned back the way I came and as I got ready to alight where I had begun my journey I noticed the exit doors opening automatically. I guess the driver clicked a button on his console. As I walked past the bus I noticed the Emergency Exit at the back written in bold letters. .These buses are indeed a boon to the mushrooming population of the city since it would ply regularly from 6.00 am to 10 pm.

“BRTS is a new concept in rapid transport. I wish housewives, school kids and senior citizens all would patronage this sort of hassle free transport over the AMTS that is invariably crowded and bone-crushing,” said Dineshbhai next to me adding “Facilities like the smart card reader, GPS system have made the drivers a happy lot which would show on their performance.” .

I heard a middle-aged woman behind me exclaim, “This is good. I would love to ride on this bus again. If they can turn this swanky bus into an AC bus during summer it would be really wonderful,” said Divyaben..

“The trial runs are going smooth. The frequency of buses has increased from a bus every 6 minute on the first day of trials to almost one bus after every four-and-half minutes,” said a AMC official adding the bus frequency is expected to go up to a bus every three minutes. The first 12.5 km stretch of BRTS from RTO to Pirana has 19 bus stations. One bus station at every 500 metres could be the norm once the BRTS scheme begins to run on its own momentum..

The Ahmedabad BRTS project comprises of creating a 150-km long two-way corridor for swanky 70-seat buses. Existing circular roads and some arterial roads have been widened for these buses to ply, encroachments from certain areas too have been removed.

The Centre for Environmental Planning and Technology (CEPT) oversees the trial run and is anxious that any teething problems are tackled before the final run begins. It has already done an in depth study of the drivers’ skill component, commuter’s response, and safety aspects when passengers’ alight and board the bus