Rail Analysis India Dec Edition 2017 Digital Magazine | Page 78

Article | 77
78 | Article
How Pune can create a Unified Mass
Transport Experience
Author : Mr. Yogesh Dandekar is presently working at Tata Elxsi,
as a Senior Manager - Design: Experience design ID
T
he Metro rail policy 2017 has emphasized the need
for integration of transport. Metros are good but
not the only or best solution. The authorities have
to be nimble footed, versatile and design mobility
solutions which fit the situation instead of thinking the other
way around.
The Metro rail progress in India has brought a welcome
change in the government’s attitude towards design,
implementation and operations of urban transport systems.
And as the technological progress is pushing itself through
the roof, these systems have to be able to catch-up very
quickly and also learn to adapt.
I belong to the city of Pune and having travelled its undervalued
bus system, I have my views on setting foundation for
the integrated transport for the increasingly expanding
metropolitan region.
I am very optimistic and hopeful that the basic idea of thinking
of transport as an integrated city-wide service in unified
manner will be realized. Pune has this opportunity to do it well
and differently.
The recent news in the daily newspapers in Pune has raised
my hopes more that the development is happening in right
direction.
It would be a great pleasure to play active part in this
unification of transport across Pune and a seamless
passenger experience.
I would like to share this note through this magazine to a wider
community of like minded people working towards a common
goal. Making urban travel in Indian cities Comfortable,
Convenient and Connected.Wish to connect with like-minded
professionals to seek their views, advice, ideas and probably
help in connecting to the right people. The note takes liberty
in proposing some ideas, which may sound radical, but they
are worth giving a thought.
Pune metro is on a positive track and will be a reality very soon
(may be 4-6 years if things work well). After a long debated
argument over many years, it seems to be moving forward.
The reader may find these suggestions very radical but –
Post 8 November 2016, India and Indians are accepting such
radical changes taken in the best interest of the people and
the nation.
I have seen many metro projects being implemented
and worked for them, it seems Pune metro will not be an
exception and would be executed in same manner. What we
read and hear are the same stories, which have appeared
in news across all other cities where Metro system is being
implemented.
Typically a metro project will go through
all the same phases:
1. Start a SPV with new structure, look for funding, appoint
GC and detailed design consultants (DDC’s) or seek
funds through PPP model for complete project D&B/
DBOT.
2. Similar tenders will be reformatted and issued, arguments
will last long over architecture design of stations, brand
will be done by crowd-sourcing and engraved in concrete
all across the station sites, station naming will call for
month long debates and consultants will be appointed
for recommending non-fare-box revenue and probably
a whole station will be sold/lent including its name to a
sponsor for getting funds.
3. Innovation will come as new ideas after the key SPV
teams do their overseas case-studies or some vendors
or consultants bring new technology, 5D-BIM being the
talk of town will play a role here and the same consultants
and vendors will line up for the tenders.
4. Land acquisition will be a bottleneck, and positioning
metro as green project will be high on cards, banks will
be at door for the fare collection system, political debates
on getting credits and much more will start. Every metro
project team and the system go through the same
learning curve.
5. Some metros like Jaipur, Lucknow and Kochi to some
extent shortened this by handing over key project design,
project management and implementation to DMRC.
This helps to get fast track work, as, DMRC brings their
learning and their station designs with specifications
to reduce the time spent in deliberation, diligence and
design process.
6. Delhi Metro definitely works efficiently and there is
nothing wrong in it if the end result is only an efficient
standalon