Public Disclosure Authorized Resettlement Action Plan for the Proposed Bus Rapid Transit System Project Public Disclosure Authorized in Pimpri Chinchwad [Draft] Public Disclosure Authorized by Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation Public Disclosure Authorized May 29,2009. CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION 1.1 Background In 1970s and 1980s, industrialization was at the peak stage in India. Pimpri-Chichwad Municipal Corporation was not exception to this process. Once upon a time, Pimpri- Chinchwad industrial belt was the largest industrial belt in the Asian Continent. Most of the MNCs had their plant in this industrial belt and this was the center next to Bombay where maximum labour force was absorbed. Due to the boost of industrialization, substantially large amount of employment opportunities were created. Thus, since 1980s onwards, this city has got unexpected exploration of population growth to the extent that the numbers of migrant people were more than two times than the original population. Till 1970, Pimpri-Chinchwad area was under the governance of PMC. However, it was separated from PMC in 1990. Thus new corporation was formed in 1970 and in 1975, it has got 'A' grade. At the beginning, there was abandoned vacant places were available for settlement. Naturally, the population migrated from various places arrived in this city for employment opportunities get settled wherever they find open space and thus unplanned growth of unauthorized settlement started and hrther it continued to grow. Over the period of years, sustained efforts made by PCMC have arrested the growth of slums and the further problems. In the present scenario, due to over population, the tremendous pressure on public utility services has been created. The sustained effort fiom the municipal corporation has made it possible to change this situation gradually within the span of 20 years. Though there are large numbers of slums (72 in numbers), the efforts for resettlement of the slum dwellers into improved houses has helped to reduce the proportion of slum population. At present large number of the slum rehabilitation work is going on. It is expected that this municipal corporation will be slum free city in India very soon. Pimpri-Chinchwad is a major industrial center of the Pune region and also of the entire country. It has witnessed a high population growth rate of around 100% in the last two decades. The population is estimated to reach about 15.07 lakhs by 201 1 from the current level of 13.35 lakhs. As the city continues to grow, the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC), which is responsible for provision of infrastructure services, needs to prepare itself for providing quality services to its citizens in all areas of infrastructure, including provision of a reliable public transport system. In the last few years, PCMC has taken up a number of infrastructure projects in water- supply, sewerage systems, municipal solid-waste management, urban transport, integrated housing infrastructure provision for urban poor, etc. It has invested from its own budget funds and has also received funds from Government of India under the JNNURM program to the tune of Rs 2,500 crores. PCMC is also implementing various administrative and structural reforms in order to improve the efficiency and financial condition of the local body. These reforms include a comprehensive e-Governance set- up, shifting to accrual-based Double-entry accounting system, Property Tax reforms, recovery of user-charges, dedicated fund allocation for provision of basic service to urban poor, etc. Public transport system forms an important part of development projects. It is the most accessible means of transport for a majority of the residents in developing cities. However, given the current status of public transport services, which are generally unreliable, the needs of mobility of the people are seldom met. This has led to the unprecedented increase in the number of private vehicles moving on roads. In order to provide effective and efficient transport facilities to the public, the transport authorities are looking at alternative systems, which can meet the mobility needs of the people. Increasingly, such alternative systems like Mass Rapid Transit Systems (MRTS) are being planned in the major cities of the country. As the MRTS are expensive, it often becomes possible for a municipal body or a state government to cater only to a limited area, thus restricting its access to a limited population. A cost effective alternative is a Bus-based Rapid Transit System (BRTS), which can cater to the mobility needs of a larger population by covering a larger geographical area in a city. Recognizing that a BRTS will be a cost effective mode of transport to the public, PCMC has undertaken a detailed study on its feasibility and sustainability of the system. It is also exploring funding options for execution of the projects. Though JnNURM forms an important source of funds, it is not completely sufficient. As part of its exploration of additional funds, PCMC has applied to the World Bank under the GEF-SUTPIIBRD fund. The present report is being submitted as per the requirements of the project appraisal process to the World Bank and addresses all the components. The Comprehensive Mobility Plan (CMP) forms an important input to this report. It was aimed at evolving a plan for the mobility of citizens of PCMC within its area. One of the outcomes of the CMP was to propose an effective public transport system for the city in the form of a bus- based rapid transit system. This plan was being reviewed for approval by the Ministry of Urban Development (MouD), Government of India (GoI). Some projects, which form part of the CMP, have been approved by the MoUD and taken up for implementation. The City Development Plan (CDP) prepared in 2006 focused on formulating a a strategic plan which envisages the vision of Pimpri-Chinchwad and aimed at identifying investment areas in physical infrastructure in various sectors to meet the growing demand for basic services in the city. PCMC has also engaged technical consultants to prepare the Technical DPRYsfor the proposed road corridors. These reports provide the technical details of the road projects. The current chapter presents a summary of the CDP and the CIVIP. 1.2 Proposed BRT Project Based on the current traffic and forecast demand, a bus-based rapid transit system was found to be the appropriate public transportation system for the city of Pimpri- Chinchwad. The road structure within PCMC was also analyzed as part of this study for its hierarchy, continuity and topology and it was observed that the existing road network of PCMC is highly fragmented at primary and secondary levels. Through this study, PCMC is proposing to improve its existing road network and also provide a public transportation system in the form of a BRT system along its major roads. The proposed BRT system consists of a network of corridors across PCMC area. The corridors have been selected based on criteria such as travel demand, hierarchy of road, existing bus-routes. The following are the corridor details. Figure No.l.1 Improvements to Road network Table No. 1.1 Road Network Details S.N Road Name Length Proposed Row I Proposed (m) (km) 1 I I I I I Level 1 Corridor (Trunk Routes) I 1 Aundh Ravet Road 14.4 45.0 2 NH4 14.6 61 .O 3 Telco Road 12.0 61 .O I 4 Dehu-alandi Road 14.5 45.0 5 1 Nashik Phata to Moshi (NH-50) I 10.4 I 61.0 I d I Hinjewadi to Dehu-Alandi Road 13.3 1 30.0 I I I I I -7 Kalewadi-KSB Chowk-Dehu Alandi Road -13.2 ~ I I I -9 1 Nashik Phata to Wakad -7.8 -45.0 I I I 1 10 1 Kiwale to Bhakti Shakti 11.8 30.0 Level 2 Corridors (Feeder Routes) I A I Hinjewadi to Tata Motors I 10.3 1 30.0 1 B ( Bhakti Shakti to Talwade 11.3 1 45.0 1 I I I C Pradhikaran 10.6 45.0 I I I D 1 Road Parallel to Aundh Rawet 8.4 30.0 As a part of re-development of land along corridors, with the objective of having a transit-oriented development along the BRT corridors, it has been proposed to modify certain land-use policies prevalent in PCMC. PCMC has initiated the process by presenting to its ~eneralBody for allowing a maximum FSI of 1.8 within the influence zone of the BRT corridors. Once approved, developers will be able to utilize more FSI along the BRT corridors. It is also planned by PCMC that transfer of development rights (TDR) from other existing zones in the area would be allowed in the buffer zones along BRT corridors. This is expected to-drivethe more development along the public transport corridors in future years. Developers will have to pay a premium for transferring the development rights onto the new zone. 1.2.1 Proposed design of corridors In terms of the configuration of road and BRT corridors, the following recommendations have been made in the study: Dedicated bus-lanes have been located in the middle of the carriageway, on either sides of the median, Bus stops are located at a distance of about 250 m on either side of Junctions and at mid-block locations at distances of 500-700 m Beyond junctions, In order to have least hindrances for pedestrians to cross roads to reach bus stops, it has been recommended that the bus stops be located at grade with the pedestrian lanes provided at the edge of ROW. The through traffic lanes on either sides of BRT lanes would be elevated to a minimum height of the buses.