Page 49 - TT Magazine Feb-Mar 2019

PUBLIC TRANSPORT

From the technology standpoint, the biggest problem

that we have today as far as integration is concerned
is lack of standards. Fundamentally multimodal
is what, when two systems are able to talk to each

other at the same level, they should be able to
exchange their services or whatever it is required.

As far as the technology to be made available to
everyone and at equitable levels it is important to

look at how are we implementing ITS today in India.

Vivek Ogra

in BRTS and the first month itself, in the government when we talk about Shah agreed that there needs to
just two routes, it started saving Rs 70 private operators or private players be a shift like right at a fundamental
lakhs. Technology interface should be into the picture. One is about what will level specially for buses just in terms
utilised as a tool for advocating funds happen to fare and another is what will of the definitions. “Today we have a
for our cities. happen to those areas where there is state carriage and a contract carriage
“Technology does play a very poor EPK (Earnings per kilometre). So, definition which has been carrying on
important role when we look at I think in both the cases government for a very long time, and that does not
allowing equitable access to the will have to play a role even if it actually help. The change in definition
transportation system in a city. Today brings in private operators or even if is to be in terms of whether it be fixed
with the telecom density that we it welcome to private operators; the schedule versus dynamic schedule,
experience in India, it is all the more government cannot just forget its role. whether it be fixed routing versus
easy to make a system available to the Redefining Public Transport dynamic routing and whether it be
people at an equitable basis. The cities the mode that is being used or the
purpose that the mode is being used.
are going the app way allowing private The government needs to broaden
systems and public systems to coexist. the definition of public transport; it has “The government’s responsibility
First and last mile connectivity is being a much bigger role to play in it. It will is not to run the buses or run the
solved by an app-based platform where have to do the monitoring role, even transportation, it is to guarantee
private system and public systems supporting the private operator or transportation whether that comes
can interact with each other, coexist even putting service level benchmarks from a private player or a public player.
and be cofed to each other. How do to the operator and looking into Transportation is uniquely the only
we institutionalise onto a streamed passengers or the customers comforts. sector where this restriction is imposed.
platform, private, public and personal The need is an equitable distribution, For some reason, you can’t have a
and that is how the new definition has a distribution that is proportional to private bus transportation player in
to be given.” the number of people moving and not the city today for intracity commute
specifically. The government can build
Responding to this Deshpande the number of vehicles moving. There frameworks, can build regulations,
added that it is important for the is an advantage that public transport that say that a certain percentage of
government or STU to change its essentially has. There are certain your fleet needs to cater to low income
perspective. What a private operator routes that nobody else would want areas or loss-making routes service so
needs is government support. to cater to, non-profitable, but public long as your fleet overall has a specific
“I think right now there are like transport does. So, how do you ensure profitability which is what a private
two kind of threats in the minds of equity or the balance? player would look like in airlines.”

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