Latest news with #AshokDatar
Time of India
29-06-2025
- Automotive
- Time of India
BEST's contract buses a ‘flop', but system a success globally
Mumbai: A comparison of BEST buses with bus systems globally reveals several potential lessons from successful bus operations in other world cities. Activists say that the wet-lease system of hiring buses from contractors is a 'complete failure' in the city. Globally, however, such systems have seen notable success, leading to increased service efficiency. London, for instance, introduced the wet-lease model in 1985 to tackle financial challenges in publicly owned entities. This facilitated reliable, high-quality bus services and proved equally effective during London's transition to electric buses. Also, Mexico City, Santiago, Shenzhen (world's first fully electric bus fleet) and Bogotaadopted the wet-lease model for e-bus operations. You Can Also Check: Mumbai AQI | Weather in Mumbai | Bank Holidays in Mumbai | Public Holidays in Mumbai Rishi Agarwal, director of Mumbai Sustainability Centre, observed that the wet-leasing model's effectiveness abroad—especially in London—relies on well-designed, strictly enforced contracts. "Fares provide almost 60-80% of recovery of costs, there are third party audits to monitor bus quality and operational parameters. If it can be done in London it can be done here. It takes less than a month to design high quality contracts and implement them. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Knee pain prices might surprise you Knee pain | search ads Find Now Undo Why are the decision makers not showing intent is the question to ask." New York City's bus system has taken several measures, including dedicated bus lanes, transit signal priority, and bus network redesigns to improve operations and attract ridership, with an aim for a fully zero-emission fleet by 2040. The Select Bus Service (SBS) in New York achieved travel time improvements and increased ridership by prioritising buses through dedicated lanes and signal adjustments, with studies showing 10-20% improvement in journey time. Transport analyst Ashok Datar from Mumbai Mobility Forum said BEST should emulate the New York model. He said that with a larger fleet, 140 to 150 buses per hour could operate on dedicated bus lanes on busy stretches like Western Express highway, increasing number of buses on that arterial route to nearly three times the current operation and providing bus every five minutes. London and New York have seen significant traffic and transit improvement after introduction of congestion pricing. Central Business District Tolling Program (congestion pricing) in New York, implemented from Jan 2025, resulted in almost all Manhattan buses achieving up to a 5% speed increase, especially benefiting express bus riders with time savings up to 10 minutes, say global media reports. State authorities are also identifying areas in Mumbai, like Bandra-Kurla complex, Nariman Point, Worli and Lower Parel for potential congestion tax implementation, a senior official from the transport commissioner's office told TOI. "After a regulatory framework is established, the authorities may levy a fee for vehicles to enter these busy hubs during peak hours, similar to congestion pricing in London and New York," the official said, adding that public transport buses would be prioritised for commuters. Sudhir Badami, author of 'Matter of Equitability — Making commuting in Mumbai enviable', has advocated for premium Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS) on the scale of Transmilenio in Bogota. Badami says having BRTS on metro corridors could have displaced 65% of private traffic and delivered buses in central lanes at a frequency as low as every 20 seconds. He said such measures would not only enhance frequency and commuter convenience but also improve safety due to negligible accident risk. Public policy (transportation) analyst Paresh Rawal said funding public transport with local property taxes is an established practice in many global cities. Avinash Dubedi, Program Head – Transport, Sustainable Cities, WRI India, said consistent support by BMC/state govt is vital for BEST to bridge the viability gap between operating costs and earnings, focus on enhancing bus accessibility in line with service benchmarks of up to 60 buses per lakh population.
Time of India
10-06-2025
- General
- Time of India
Train tragedy: Travel on Thane-Karjat & Thane-Kasara routes is a crush with 11 lakh people daily; Diva-Mumbra stretch a death trap
MUMBAI: Of the 26 lakh passengers who travel daily on the Central Railway (CR) Main line, nearly 11 lakh travel between Thane and Karjat or Kasara, highlighting the mounting burden on the suburban stretch. Kaustubh Shinde, an HR professional, said the chaos during rush hour was unbelievable on the CR. "I often can't get off at Mulund as bulky commuters with large backpacks block the exit. Not even a mouse could squeeze through. It's frustrating," he said. The CR has ramped up daily services to 894 from 803 in 2014. Nearly 70% of these—182 in the morning and 188 in the evening—run during peak hours. The frequency up to Kalyan has been increased to a train every three minutes. Poll Do you think staggered work timings could help reduce overcrowding in Mumbai trains? Yes, definitely No, it won't help Transport experts say this may not be enough. Ashok Datar of the Mumbai Mobility Forum said the govt must enforce staggered work timings across private and public sectors to ease the pressure. "Even if 40% of office-goers travel at staggered hours, it can bring visible relief. We can consider shifts like 8.30 am–3.30 pm and 11.30 am–7.30 pm, with only 20% employees on the traditional general shift," he said, adding that essential services like hospitals and police should be exempt from this arrangement. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like เทรดทองCFDs กับโบรกเกอร์ที่เชื่อถือได้ | เรียนรู้เพิ่มเติม IC Markets สมัคร Undo Transport expert Vivek Pai said the train incident on Monday was a reminder that urgent structural reforms were needed. "The Thane-Kalyan stretch has the highest commuter density, and unless we address it with more tracks, cheaper AC train options and better frequency, such incidents will keep repeating. Mixed land use and staggered office hours are a necessity, not a luxury," Pai said. Rail Yatri Parishad chairman Subhash Gupta blamed the overcrowding on the gradual phasing out of non-AC trains. "AC locals during peak hours end up increasing crowd build-up for the next non-AC train," he said. "People risk their lives, hanging by the doors. Most commuters from distant suburbs earn modest salaries. A Rs 5,000, the AC season pass is unaffordable for many. With Metro connectivity improving and those systems already air-conditioned, there is no rush to convert all locals into AC ones." Gupta dismissed the idea of automatic door closures on ordinary locals. "It's been discussed for years but isn't practical. Doors take time to open and close and will delay overall services," he said.
Time of India
09-06-2025
- Time of India
Central Railway locals serve 26 lakh passengers daily; 11 lakh on just Thane-Karjat/Kasara stretch
Mumbai: Of the 26 lakh passengers who travel daily on the Central Railway (CR) Main line, nearly 11 lakh travel between Thane and Karjat or Kasara, highlighting the mounting burden on the suburban stretch. Kaustubh Shinde, an HR professional, said the chaos during rush hour was unbelievable on the CR. "I often can't get off at Mulund as bulky commuters with large backpacks block the exit. Not even a mouse could squeeze through. It's frustrating," he said. The CR has ramped up daily services to 894 from 803 in 2014. Nearly 70% of these—182 in the morning and 188 in the evening—run during peak hours. The frequency up to Kalyan has been increased to a train every three minutes. Transport experts say this may not be enough. Ashok Datar of the Mumbai Mobility Forum said the govt must enforce staggered work timings across private and public sectors to ease the pressure. "Even if 40% of office-goers travel at staggered hours, it can bring visible relief. We can consider shifts like 8.30 am–3.30 pm and 11.30 am–7.30 pm, with only 20% employees on the traditional general shift," he said, adding that essential services like hospitals and police should be exempt from this arrangement. Transport expert Vivek Pati said the train incident on Monday was a reminder that urgent structural reforms were needed. "The Thane-Kalyan stretch has the highest commuter density, and unless we address it with more tracks, cheaper AC train options and better frequency, such incidents will keep repeating. Mixed land use and staggered office hours are a necessity, not a luxury," Pati said. Rail Yatri Parishad chairman Subhash Gupta blamed the overcrowding on the gradual phasing out of non-AC trains. "AC locals during peak hours end up increasing crowd build-up for the next non-AC train," he said. "People risk their lives, hanging by the doors. Most commuters from distant suburbs earn modest salaries. A Rs 5,000, the AC season pass is unaffordable for many. With Metro connectivity improving and those systems already air-conditioned, there is no rush to convert all locals into AC ones." Gupta dismissed the idea of automatic door closures on ordinary locals. "It's been discussed for years but isn't practical. Doors take time to open and close and will delay overall services," he said.
Time of India
18-05-2025
- Automotive
- Time of India
BEST should use money from fare hike to buy 1,000 CNG buses, says think tank
The recent increase in BEST ticket prices, which resulted in doubling of minimum distance fares for AC and non-AC buses, is expected to add Rs 1 crore daily to the revenue of the undertaking. Transport analysts from the Mumbai Mobility Forum (MMF), a think tank, this week petitioned BEST demanding addition of 1,000 CNG buses to the fleet in the coming weeks. They highlighted that each CNG bus can be acquired for less than Rs 1 crore compared to the significantly higher cost of e-buses. 'It is projected that this move will enhance frequency and alleviate the ongoing bus shortage, improve frequency and reduce wait at stops. This step is viewed as crucial for BEST to retain its customer base and daily ridership,' said Ashok Datar from the forum. You Can Also Check: Mumbai AQI | Weather in Mumbai | Bank Holidays in Mumbai | Public Holidays in Mumbai The current BEST fleet of around 2,800 buses caters to 33 lakh to 35 lakh passengers daily across Mumbai and neighbouring Thane and Navi Mumbai. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 35 & Earning? Protect Your Family with ₹1 Cr Life Cover ICICI Pru Life Insurance Plan Get Quote Undo 'CNG buses offer a substantial cost advantage, timely delivery, and match seamlessly with the existing infrastructure that can accommodate up to 4,000 buses within Mumbai,' said Datar. He said that such a procurement would ensure an increased number of buses on the roads as the fleet had gone below the 3,000 mark last year and further below 2,800 buses early this year. Toay, commuters have to wait at stops for as long as 30 to 40 minutes. 'In the absence of buses arriving at the stops, the commuters may opt for share autos whose fares are at par with the revised bus fares. This could be detrimental to BEST. So in a way, if the bus strength goes up due to the CNG buses, the frequency will be maintained on busy routes and commuters will get buses on time, and refuse to migrate to other modes of transport,' said a transport analyst. A source in Mahanagar Gas Limited (MGL) said that BEST's CNG infrastructure spans 15 depots, with the current capacity to fuel over 4,000 buses each day. 'Currently, BEST has around 1,900 CNG buses in its fleet and can readily accommodate 2,100 more with the available infrastructure. They can procure these additional CNG buses and operate them efficiently,' said the MGL. CNG buses have demonstrated consistent reliability and safety in Mumbai's urban transport for several years. According to Datar, CNG buses can be purchased for Rs 65 lakh in contrast to electric buses, which may cost up to Rs 1.6 crore. 'I am not against e-buses, but the last year has seen delivery delays causing continued shortages in the fleet. BEST can accelerate the procurement of CNG buses, which are environmentally friendly as well as straightforward to operate and maintain. At least 1,000 CNG buses should be added to the fleet,' said Datar. Another member of the forum said there was a need to have a pragmatic mix of CNG, electric, and other-fuel-run buses. BEST officials said they were planning a 100% electric fleet for the future and around 8,000 bus fleet in the next two to three years. Unless the electricity is sourced from renewables, net carbon emissions remain unaddressed. In contrast, CNG buses are virtually non-polluting, cost a third as much and are simpler to maintain. Transport activists are against full transition to electric buses. In several instances, electric buses cannot complete the 180 km daily requirement. After completing 60% of their journeys, recharging is needed, forcing buses off the roads, which is undesirable. In such cases, the buses would be idle at the depots for recharging while passenger wait would increase at the stops it caters to, said the activists.
