Suggesting Urban Mass Transit Technology for Pakistan “A Comparative Analysis of Rail Based Rapid Transit and Bus Rapid Transit”
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Journal of the Eastern Asia Society for Transportation Studies, Vol. 7, 2007 SUGGESTING URBAN MASS TRANSIT TECHNOLOGY FOR PAKISTAN “A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF RAIL BASED RAPID TRANSIT AND BUS RAPID TRANSIT” Intikhab Ahmed QURESHI Lu HUAPU PhD Candidate Professor Institute of Transportation Engineering Institute of Transportation Engineering Tsinghua University, 100084, Beijing, Tsinghua University, 100084, Beijing, China China Fax: +86-10-6279-5339 Fax: +86-10-6279-5339 E-mail: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected] Abstract: As elsewhere, in Pakistan too, the rapid urbanization, motorization and spatial expansion led to a sharp increase in demand for urban transport facilities and services. Cities in Pakistan are still without mass rapid transit. The existing informal urban public transport system is unable to meet the increasing travel demand. Absence of urban mass rapid transit system has caused acute increase of cars and motorcycles in Pakistan. To meet increasing travel demand and to fight against severe traffic congestion, large cities like Karachi and Lahore have come up with modern rail based rapid transit options in their cities, while other major cities have not yet considered about it. This paper intends to evaluate existing rail based rapid transit projects of Karachi and Lahore with Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) technology to suggest an urban mass rapid transit technology that is financially feasible and affordable for low income developing countries like Pakistan. Keywords: Urbanization, Mass rapid transit, Developing countries. 1. INTRODUCTION Pakistan is a developing country in South Asian region, having a per capita income of US$ 736. In 2005 its estimated population was around 153.45 million. The urban population constitutes about one-third of total population. The structural transformation of economy has stimulated urban growth which is growing at the rate of 2.9 percent annually higher than the total population annual growth rate of 2.1 percent. Table 1 shows the urban population statistics of major cities, whereas figure 1 shows the geographical location of these cities. Pakistan has two large cities having a population of over five million and seven metropolitan cities with a population of over one million. Table 1 Urban Population of Major cities of Pakistan Urban population in (10 000) Annual Percentage Cities 1951 1961 1972 1981 1998 2005(estimated) Growth (1998-2005) Karachi 106.8 191.3 351.5 520.8 926.9 1406 6.46 Lahore 84.9 129.6 217 295 506.3 722.4 5.33 Faisalabad 17.9 42.5 82.3 110.4 197.7 268.7 4.48 Multan 19 35.8 53.9 73.2 118.2 137.5 2.04 Rawalpindi 23.7 34 61.5 79.5 140.6 184.7 3.92 Islamabab 3.6 4.5 7 18.9 106.8 131.2 2.85 Gujaranwala 12.1 19.6 36 60.1 112.5 136.5 2.66 Peshawar 15.2 21.3 27.3 56.6 98.8 117.5 2.36 Hyderabad 24.2 43.5 62.9 75.2 115.1 157.1 4.56 Source: Federal Bureau of Statistics Pakistan, 2001 1931 Journal of the Eastern Asia Society for Transportation Studies, Vol. 7, 2007 These cities are growing between 2.04 to 6.46 percent annually. However, the population growth rate in Karachi and Lahore is phenomenal. Figure 1 Geographical location of major cities of Pakistan An increase in urban population leads to a sharp increase in demand for urban transport facilities and services ESCAP (2001). An efficient public transportation system plays an important role in catering to the daily necessities in the lives of the citizens. This includes access to amenities and services that are central to the lives of all individuals, like employment, education, health services and leisure. Lack of affordability and accessibility to adequate transportation system can leave people in social exclusion Kenyon et al. (2002). The mass rapid transit system, with the characteristics of large passenger carrying capacity and little resource consumption per-person has the ability of meeting the intense traffic demand for commuters in peak hours. Moreover, it is one of the most economical and environmentally efficient means of providing transport services. Box 1 defines the different types of mass rapid transit technologies which are capable of providing a transit system with sufficient capacity, comfort and speed. Choosing the optimal mass rapid technologies for the cities is a critical issue. Some of the important aspects in selecting the mass rapid transit system are that the passengers should be able to pay; the system should not operate in deficit, should have financial sustainability and should not require subsidies to operate the system as subsidies are not sustainable in medium and long term. Factors like costs (infrastructure and operation), affordability (passengers’ ability to pay), development period (planning and implementation time), financing etc must be appreciated while selecting a rapid mass transit technology GTZ (2004). A wrong decision may jeopardize the whole transportation system and financial stability of the city. Therefore, the focus of this paper is to suggest a mass rapid transit technology for Pakistanis’ cities that is cost effective and balanced without compromising capacity, speed, potential ridership and service quality. The paper is organized as follows. Section two gives an overview of urban transportation situation in Pakistan. 1932 Journal of the Eastern Asia Society for Transportation Studies, Vol. 7, 2007 Section three discusses the evolution of rapid mass transit system in Pakistan. Section four evaluates the modern rail based projects of Karachi and Lahore, section 5 suggests the mass rapid technology for Pakistan followed by the conclusion. Box 1 Typologies of Mass Rapid Transit Monorail: It is a modern means of elevated rail transit. However its use as urban transport is rare. Maglev trains: Maglev means magnetic levitation. This type of transit is also a form of elevated rail transit. In this system wheels are replaced by magnetic fields. Maglev vehicles are capable of much higher speeds and acceleration. Light Rail Transit: Light rail transit can best be envisioned as trains of one to three articulated rail vehicles powered by electricity from overhead trolley wires at surface level. However when operates grade-separated infrastructure it blurs with the boundaries of metro. Heavy Rail: This is an urban passenger transportation service that operates on fully grade-separated right of ways i.e. underground or elevated structures. This transit system is a form of metro. Commuter Rail: This is also a form of heavy rail. It is a passenger train transit service that operates on the same right of ways used by intercity railway. It carries passengers from corridors of heavy concentrations of suburban and urban locations therefore also known as suburban rail. Bus Rapid Transit: This is a bus based transit system that operates on segregated right of ways to provide a higher quality of service with attributes similar to modern rail based transit system. 2. OVERVIEW OF URBAN TRANSPORT IN PAKISTAN The importance of public transit is of great significance in socio economic development of a nation. In Pakistan the public transport is a chronic problem and still without mass rapid transit except Karachi. Mainly the public transport in cities is road based and operated by private sector. The low capacity mini-buses and vans are operated by informal sector whereas some good quality bus service is being provided by franchise companies in different cities. The government’s failure to provide efficient public transport have resulted in decline of provision of public transport and in some cases operations have to be ceased altogether e.g. Karachi Transportation Corporation jointly operated by Federal and Sind Provincial Government and Punjab Road Transportation Corporation owned by Punjab Provincial Government had to shut down in 1996 and 1998 (Sohail, 2000; Haider and Badami, 2004) respectively due to heavy losses as well as decline in service and vehicle fleet. Moreover, the private transport operators also failed to meet the increasing travel demand and commuter’s requirement of convenience, safety and comfort. The failure of timely provision of mass transit system and better mobility opportunities in cities have stimulated the acute increase in ownership and use of private cars and motor cycles. Figure 2 shows that in 2004 the share of cars and motorcycles in registered passenger vehicles fleet was 31 percent and 60 percent respectively. Such trend of motorization particularly, increasingly use of personal vehicles is not sustainable as they are associated with transport related externalities like traffic 1933 Journal of the Eastern Asia Society for Transportation Studies, Vol. 7, 2007 congestion, air and noise pollution, depletion of non-renewable resources, traffic accidents as well as social inequity. In order to make a mode shift from cars and motorcycles, there is a need to provide a transit service that is affordable, accessible and some what compatible to personal vehicles in comfort, convenience and speed. 2% 3% 31% 60% 4% Cars Buses/Minibuses Motorcycles Taxis Auto rickshaws Figure 2 Share of registered passenger vehicles in Pakistan - 2004 3. EVOLUTION OF URBAN MASS TRANSIT SYSTEM IN PAKISTAN International practices and standard requires that cities having a population over one million should start planning for mass transit system. In contrast to that only Karachi and Lahore, the two large cities of Pakistan are in the process of providing a rail based rapid transit system while the other major cities mentioned in table 1 have not given the due attention to their urban transport system and still have no planning for mass transit option. However in coming years the mass transit system will be a compelling necessity in these cities and there is an urgent need for perspective planning and to institutionalize the transport planning process in these cities.