INTEGRATING INTERMEDIATE PUBLIC TRANSPORT WITHIN TRANSPORT REGULATION IN A REPORT RESEARCH MEGACITY: A KOLKATA CASE STUDY CENTRE FOR POLICY RESEARCH, NEW DELHI 1 CONTRIBUTING TEAM Anvita Arora Sarani Khatua Innovative Transport Solutions Centre for Policy Research Anmol Anand Manish Innovative Transport Solutions Centre for Policy Research Sanghamitra Banerjee-Ghosh Anusha Matham Centre for Policy Research Innovative Transport Solutions Dev Baraya Shilpi Mukherjee Centre for Policy Research Centre for Policy Research Jayati Chakrabarty Partha Mukhopadhyay Centre for Policy Research Centre for Policy Research Mahalaya Chatterjee Mukta Naik Centre for Urban Economy Studies Centre for Policy Research University of Calcutta Shamindra Nath Roy Sagnik Das Centre for Policy Research Centre for Policy Research Parvesh Sherawat Prasenjit Ghosh Innovative Transport Solutions Centre for Policy Research Pranav Sidhwani Sudakshina Gupta Centre for Policy Research Centre for Urban Economy Studies Persis Taraporevala University of Calcutta Centre for Policy Research Preksha Jain Centre for Policy Research 2 INTEGRATING INTERMEDIATE PUBLIC TRANSPORT WITHIN TRANSPORT REGULATION IN A MEGACITY: A KOLKATA CASE STUDY INTEGRATING INTERMEDIATE PUBLIC TRANSPORT WITHIN TRANSPORT REGULATION IN A MEGACITY: A KOLKATA CASE STUDY CENTRE FOR POLICY RESEARCH, NEW DELHI 3 PROJECT PARTNERS CENTRE FOR POLICY RESEARCH CENTRE FOR URBAN ECONOMIC STUDIES cprindia.org caluniv.ac.in/academic/centre_urban_economic_studies.htm The Centre for Policy Research (CPR) has been one of India’s The centre was established as a research centre by the leading public policy think tanks since 1973. The Centre is a University under the special assistance programme of non-profit, independent institution dedicated to conducting University Grants Commission in the Department of research that contributes to a more robust public discourse Economics with urban economics as the thrust area. For the about the structures and processes that shape life in last quarter of a century, it has established itself as a premier India. CPR’s community of distinguished academics and multi-disciplinary research centre of urban studies in India. A practitioners represents views from many disciplines and number of dissertations done under the guidance of faculty across the political spectrum. members have been awarded M.Phil and Ph.D degrees. Apart from publishing books, monographs, discussion papers and It is one of the 27 national social science research institutes database for urban studies and a bi-annual newsletter, it has recognised by the Indian Council of Social Science Research been regularly holding workshops, seminars and short-term (ICSSR), Government of India.CPR embodies a vibrant courses on different aspects of urban studies. It has been community that is committed to the highest standards of engaged in different type of collaborative activities with other excellence in public-policy research. An active academic organisations like Indian Council of Social Science Research, life is sustained via resources that are available to all Anthropological Survey of India. Other than the regular faculty members of CPR, and in some cases to external faculty members and research staffs of the Centre, it also partners as well. These resources include a wellstocked accommodates eminent researchers on urban topics from library, contemporary conference facilities and information related disciplines like Political Science, Sociology, Geography, technology infrastructure. CPR also provides access to various History, as honorary associates. It also offers Urban Economics external resources through memberships or partnerships with and Urban Planning as optional papers as a part of the post- external institutions. graduate course in Economics. INNOVATIVE TRANSPORT SOLUTIONS (iTRANS) itrans.co.in SHAKTI SUSTAINABLE ENERGY FOUNDATION shaktifoundation.in Innovative transport Solutions Pvt Ltd (iTrans) www.itrans.co.in is a research and consulting organisation in the field of urban Shakti Sustainable Energy Foundation works to strengthen transport, incubated by the Indian Institute of Technology, the energy security of India by aiding the design and Delhi. They have 8 years of experience in working on low implementation of policies that encourage energy efficiency, carbon urban transport solutions across several cities in the renewable energy and sustainable mobility. Shakti works in country and the region. Their focus is on supporting cities to sectors with the maximum potential for energy and carbon find pathways to shift from the business-as-usual future of savings: Power, Transport, Energy Efficiency and Climate Policy. motorisation (resulting in high energy use and pollution) to A Section 25 non-profit organisation under the Companies Act alternative low carbon and climate resilient scenarios oriented 1956, Shakti is governed by a national board of directors, and towards environmental and social sustainability. They have supported by both Indian and international philanthropies. worked planning and designing mobility solutions for people It convenes NGOs, universities, business, think tanks, and including infrastructure for walking, cycling, access to public domestic and international experts to design and implement transit and have carried out extensive research on all aspects smart energy policies in India. of non-motorised transport, informal transport, gender and inclusion. 4 INTEGRATING INTERMEDIATE PUBLIC TRANSPORT WITHIN TRANSPORT REGULATION IN A MEGACITY: A KOLKATA CASE STUDY ABSTRACT Movement is integral to urban life and cities function off the This report focuses on the role of auto-rickshaws as IPT in energy of potential opportunity, growth and freedom. One of the city as studies have demonstrated that auto-rickshaws the cornerstones of an inclusive urban space is the availability in Kolkata serve a larger population of commuters at lower of regular and affordable mobility opportunities for all fiscal costs, and levels of environmental destruction and citizens, irrespective of their socio-economic status. infrastructure usage. These findings are based on a mixed methodology of quantitative and qualitative research, This report focuses on the regulatory and operational aspects including a pan-city survey and in-depth interviews of of Intermediate Public Transportation (IPT) in Kolkata, India. stakeholders in the political economy of IPT in Kolkata. The Kolkata Metropolitan Region was chosen because it The findings are strengthened by a GIS mapping of auto- arguably has the most varied and complex set of transport rickshaw routes and a deep analysis of the regulatory and systems, public and private, among the megacity regions in legal framework within which IPT systems function in Kolkata. India, offering citizens ferries, trams, buses, trains, a metro, This report argues that auto-rickshaws are viewed as a taxis, auto-rickshaws and cycle-rickshaws. Despite its status primary form of IPT because they are affordable, regular, safe, as a megacity, Kolkata has an unusual combination of high predictable and cover large majority of the city’s inhabited population density, low vehicular ownership and low road geographic area. length – constrains that could be harnessed to create more adaptable, environment-friendly transportation alternatives. CENTRE FOR POLICY RESEARCH, NEW DELHI 5 ACRONYMS CITU: Confederation of Indian Trade Unions CMP: Comprehensive Mobility Plan CMVR: Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989 CNG: Compressed Natural Gas CO: Carbon Monoxide CO2: Carbon Dioxide GIS: Geographic Indication System GO: Government Order INTTUC: Indian National Trinamool Trade Union Congress INTUC: Indian National Trade Union Congress INR: Indian Rupee IPT: Intermediate Public Transport KMA: Kolkata Metropolitan Area KMC: Kolkata Municipal Corporation LPG: Liquefied Petroleum Gas MLA: Member of Legislative Assembly MoRTH: Ministry of Road Transport and Highways MoUD: Ministry of Urban Development MP: Member of Parliament MVA: Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 NUTP: National Urban Transport Policy PIL: Public Interest Litigation PVD: Public Vehicles Department RTA: Road Transport Authority SESRU: Self Employment Scheme for Registered Unemployed STA: State Transport Authority UMTA: Unified Metropolitan Transport Authority WB: West Bengal 6 INTEGRATING INTERMEDIATE PUBLIC TRANSPORT WITHIN TRANSPORT REGULATION IN A MEGACITY: A KOLKATA CASE STUDY BOXES MAPS Box 1: SESRU (Self Employment Scheme for Registered Map 1: Kolkata Metropolitan Area Unemployed) and Auto-rickshaws Map 2: Notified routes in KMC Box 2: Narrative on Second-hand auto-rickshaw sale Map 3: Surveyed routes Map 4: Surveyed routes FIGURES Map 5: Cut routes Map 6: Deviated routes Figure 1: Motor Vehicle Act categories with a focus on public Map 7: Extended routes service vehicle Map 8: Different routes Figure 2: Stakeholder Map of IPT in KMC Map 9: Mixed routes Figure 3: Role of union Map 10: Auto-rickshaw Density (Licensed Autos) Figure 4: Share of Routes Surveyed from different RTAs Map 11: Spatial Pattern of Route Density Figure 5: Route irregularities Map 12: Spatial Distribution of Disparate Routes Figure 6: Share of Different Kinds of Deviations in Surveyed Routes Figure 7: Type of Route Operations by Length Figure 8: Percentage of income spent on auto-rickshaw TABLES expenses in a month Figure 9: Route share and fare variance Table 1: Auto-rickshaw Characteristics of Different Indian Cities Figure 10: Modal split of auto-rickshaw users Table 2: City-Based