CHENNAI TRANSPORT VISION 2013: Priority Initiatives and Budget

February 2013

CHENNAI TRANSPORT VISION | 1 Chennai’s Transport Priorities

Chennai stands at a crossroad in its history and development. The city has the potential to become a global commercial and cultural center that affords its citizens immense benefits in the form of jobs, opportunities and improved quality of life. For this opportunity to become a reality, the city will have to develop adequate infrastructure and services to facilitate development and improve the quality of life of all its citizens, both rich and poor.

Many quality of life indicators—education, nutrition, access to healthcare, standards of living—improve as cities grow and become wealthier. By contrast, physical mobility is one indicator that deteriorates with prosperity. As cities develop, the demand for mobility grows with people traveling more to pursue economic opportunities, learn, and have a good time. People buy personal vehicles (such as cars, motorcycles, and scooters) in their quest for more comfortable transport, but the increase in private vehicles, ends up causing congestion and pollution. This diminishes the collective quality of life. Widening roads or building flyovers to facilitate the movement of motor vehicles is seen as a solution, but the improvement is usually short­lived.

Figure 1: Chennai Mode Shift 1992-2008, Trip Distribution by Mode 1970 to 2008

Figure 1 illustrates how insufficient public investment in bus­based public transport and prioritisation of personal vehicle­based infrastructure (combined with improved ability to purchase personal motorised vehicles) have shaped the way that Chennaites travel over the past two decades. We fret about exploding population and traffic growth but what we see today is just a glimpse of what is yet to come if we take no action to arrest the growth of personal motor vehicle growth.

Chennai has few options: follow a “business as usual” scenario facilitating increasing travel by private vehicles, or to develop a scenario that prioritizes public transport, cycling, and walking. Figure 2 illustrates how both scenarios would impact the projected number of trips between 2013 and 2018. The two sets of

CHENNAI TRANSPORT VISION | 2 three lines refer to the projected number of trips for private vehicles (red), public transport (light green), and walking and cycling (dark green).

Figure 2: Alternative scenarios of transport in Chennai in 2018

On the left, the business­as­usual scenario shows a dramatic uptick in the number of private vehicle journeys, while public transport sees a moderate increase in trips and walking and cycling trips remain almost static. If the use of personal motor vehicles continues to increase at the present rate of 8 per cent per annum, then an additional 30 lakh trips will be made using these modes. By 2018, over 13,000 lane­km1 of new road space will be required to accommodate their movement. Vehicles must park at every destination. Thus, an additional 12.5 lakh car­equivalent spaces must be made available for parking. The additional road and parking space demanded would cost roughly Rs 36,000 crores to construct, not including the cost of land. It is sufficient to say that Chennai cannot afford to let this trend to continue. The battle to accommodate growing motor vehicle traffic is a losing one. In fact, no city in the world has solved its mobility crisis by simply building more roads. The only solution is to adopt a radically new approach.

The second scenario, on the right of Figure 2, reflects an increased emphasis on sustainable transport. In this scenario, the city sees a significant rise in the number of trips by public transport, walking, and cycling. The number of personal motor vehicle trips remains relatively constant. This scenario reflects the goal set

1 A lane­km is defined as one kilometre of road length of a width of one lane. The assumption here is that each car (or two­wheeler converted into car­equivalent) requires 20 lane­metres of road space to move freely and 6.5 lane­m for parking. A typical parking space is 2.4­3.0 meters wide, 5.0­6.0 meters deep, totalling 13­19 sq. meters (Litman 2012).

CHENNAI TRANSPORT VISION | 3 by the Chennai Unified Metropolitan Transportation Authority (CUMTA) of increasing the mode share of public transport to 60 per cent of all motorised trips by 2018. This goal was reiterated by participants at CUMTA’s recent planning workshop, Envisioning the Comprehensive Transport Plan for the Chennai Metropolitan Area, in January 2012.

Accommodating the increased travel demand on sustainable transport modes would require a cost of under a tenth of the Rs 36,000 crores required for the business­as­usual scenario. In order to meet this goal, Chennai needs to take immediate steps to strengthen public transport systems. In addition, the region needs to enhance access to public transport by foot and cycle, and manage the demand for road space by personal motor vehicles through parking management and market­based pricing.

The transport budget for the coming year reflects the real priorities for Chennai, as developed by stakeholders at the aforementioned CUMTA planning workshop in January 2013. In FY 2013­2014, CUMTA seeks to take up work in the following Project Areas to achieve the desired shift toward greater use of sustainable transport modes:

1. Bus rapid transit (BRT) system: Phase 1 implementation

BRT is a robust and flexible system that would transform Chennai’s public transport system by providing a faster, more reliable service to a larger number of people in conjunction with the various existing rail networks. To study, design, construct and monitor the first BRT corridor, approximately Rs. 466 crore is necessary.

2. Bus fleet and facilities expansion and improvements

Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTC) buses are the backbone of Chennai’s transport system. However, MTC’s limited fleet of 3,400 buses is extremely overburdened. A key goal of Chennai’s recent transport planning efforts is that public transport should handle at least 60 per cent of the region’s motorised trips by 2018. To meet this goal, the bus fleet must be expanded by at least 1,500 buses. It is estimated that Rs. 1,124 crore are necessary to purchase vehicles, construct depots and standardize the city’s 4,700 bus stops. Approximately Rs. 46 crore per annum will be required to support bus depot and bus stop maintenance.

3. Public transport customer information service

Implementing a multimodal information portal for Chennai’s public transport services is a critical component of Chennai’s transport strategy. The customer information system should include a website as well as a call centre to serve customers without web access. We estimate that Rs. 5 crore is required to develop and staff a regional customer information system. Per year, about Rs. 1 crore is necessary to operate and maintain the center.

4. Multi­modal transport improvements

For Chennai’s public transport system to function as a coherent network, passengers need to be

CHENNAI TRANSPORT VISION | 4 able to transfer easily from one mode to another. To make the recommended improvements to transport stations and their surrounding areas, approximately Rs. 37 crore is required. Per annum, Rs. 4 crore is required for maintenance and operation of the improved stations.

5. Parking Management System: Phase 1 Implementation

To achieve Chennai’s stated goals of making public transport carry at least 60 per cent of the motorized trips, parking management is essential. Regularizing parking will also allow Chennai to utilize of existing resources more effectively. Establishing an Parking Management Cell, completing a DPR for parking management, and implementing a parking control center to regularize parking will require approximately Rs. 5 crore. It is estimated that the expansion of paid parking zones (with the existing fee level of Rs 5 per hour) will generate Rs 57 crore per year.

6. World class footpaths on all Bus Route Roads

The Corporation of Chennai is responsible for 304 Bus Route Roads (BRR) with a total length of 222 km. It is recommended that the footpaths on the entire network of BRR be designed and constructed so that they are compliant with the Indian Road Congress (IRC) standards. Approximately Rs. 367 crore are necessary for design and implementation of the BRR footpaths.

7. Pedestrian­only zones in five locations

Besides constructing footpaths along streets with heavy traffic volumes, it is important to identify locations where pedestrian density is the highest and ensure that these environments do more than facilitate movement. To design and implement the recommended pedestrian zones, we estimate that Rs. 17 crore are required.

8. Human powered transport improvements

To improve Chennai’s capacity to serve cyclists, cycle rickshaws, and other human powered transport (HPT) users, the three specific projects are recommended. To design and implement these projects, approximately Rs. 47 crore is necessary. Additionally, an annual operations / maintenance cost of Rs. 5 crore is required.

In the next sections we will provide details for addressing these eight project areas in the 2013­2014 FY.

CHENNAI TRANSPORT VISION | 5 Project Area 1. Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) BRT is a robust and flexible system that would transform Chennai’s public transport system by providing a faster, more reliable service to a larger number of people in conjunction with the various existing rail networks. On April 10, 2012 a BRT feasibility report, BRT in Chennai: Towards a new paradigm in urban mobility, was presented to a meeting of Senior Transportation Officials, consisting of the following officials:

● Principal Secretary, Finance Department ● Principal Secretary, Transport Department ● Principal Secretary and Commissioner, Corporation of Chennai ● Secretary, Housing and Urban Development ● Secretary, Highways ● Additional Commissioner of Police (Traffic), Chennai ● Joint Secretary (Finance) and Managing Director, TNRDC ● Managing Director, Metropolitan Transport Commission, Chennai

Figure 3: Phase 1 BRT corridors, showing locations of interchange with suburban rail, MRTS, and metro

CHENNAI TRANSPORT VISION | 6 The group agreed that the Transport Department would take steps to form a special purpose vehicle (SPV) to lead the implementation process for BRT. The Transport Department also would prepare TORs and select consultants for the detailed operation plan, engineering design, and intelligent transport systems (ITS) for the BRT system.

The feasibility report presented identified a phase 1 network consisting of six corridors with 88 km of dedicated bus lanes (Figure 3) that is expected to serve 11,30,000 customers per day (based on 2011 data). The entire phase 1 will cost approximately to Rs 1,230 crore to implement (Table 1).

Table 1. BRT corridor lengths and costs for Phase 1 Implementation Corridor Length (km) Cost (crore Rs) Maduravoyal – CMBT 14.0 196 Ambattur – Thirumangalam 7.7 108 CMBT – Madhavaram 12.4 149 Siruseri – Saidapet 24.8 372 Tambaram – Saidapet 18.5 278 GST Road Junction – Thoraipakkam 10.6 127 88.0 1,230

Per the feasibility report, the dedicated SPV should be set up to implement the BRT system. After implementation, the SPV will assume the additional role of monitoring BRT operations. It will continue to oversee the planning and implementation of future phases. The SPV needs qualified, professional staff and the independence to make swift decisions during the process of implementation.

Per the feasibility report and the agreement of senior transport officials, the following activities should be carried out for the 2013­2014 fiscal year:

● SPV Setup ● Detailed operational planning for phase 1 ● Detailed physical planning for phase 1 ● Start of construction on phase 1’s initial corridor: Saidapet to Siruseri (Old Mahabalipuram Rd)

Since physical works have been completed for much of the Saidapet to Siruseri corridor, the SPV can focus on modifications to ready the corridor for BRT service, including construction of stations, pedestrian crossings, and intersection modifications. The SPV should also begin bus procurement to ensure that the vehicles are ready when the physical works are complete.

CHENNAI TRANSPORT VISION | 7 Project Area 1 Summary

Table 2. 2013-14 budget request for BRT Project Implementing Timeline Cost Related Agency (Rs. crore) Agencies Seed capital of BRT 5 Department of SPV notified by May 2013 CUMTA, MTC, SPV Special Initiatives CMDA Detailed operational BRT SPV Corridor 1 operational plan 1 CUMTA, MTC, planning completed by September 2013; CMRL, Traffic Complete Phase 1 operational plan Police by January 2014 CUMTA, MTC, Detailed physical BRT SPV Corridor 1 physical designs 5 CMDA, CMRL, design completed by September 2013; Highways, Complete Phase 1 physical designs Southern by January 2014 Railways

Project Monitoring BRT SPV / Highways September 2013 - December 2014 5 CUMTA, MTC, Highways, Traffic

Police ITS Implementation BRT SPV July 2014 - December 2014 40 CUMTA, MTC, CMRL

332 Construction of Highways / BRT SPV December 2014 CUMTA, MTC, corridor 1 (Siruseri - CMDA, Saidapet) Highways, Traffic Police

Corridor 1 Highways / BRT SPV December 2014 5 CUMTA, Construction MTC, CMDA, Project Highways Management

Pedestrian and COC / BRT SPV Implementation coordinated with 78 CUMTA, Cycling access Corridor 1 construction CMDA, MTC, Improvements in January 2014 - December 2014 Highways, station catchment Traffic area - Corridor 1 Police (13 stations)

total 471

CHENNAI TRANSPORT VISION | 8 Project Area 2. Bus Fleet and Facilities Improvements

Expanded and updated bus fleet

Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTC) buses are the backbone of Chennai’s transport system, with around 50 lakh boardings every day. However, MTC’s limited fleet of 3,400 buses is extremely overburdened. The Chennai Comprehensive Transportation Study of 2010 plainly states that “vehicle growth trends reveal that the fleet of buses has seen a very marginal increase over the years2.” The public transport system has not kept up with the region’s population growth. During peak hours, MTC buses experience extremely crowded, unsafe conditions (more than 100 persons per vehicle). High demand for public transport and low availability of transport vehicles means that many customers chose to ride on the footboard, risking injury and even loss of life to reach their destinations. Passenger comfort also is compromised by the overall poor quality of the rolling stock.

Figure 4: From 1971 to 2013, the number of buses in Chennai3 has remained below international benchmarks, which suggest that 50 to 120 buses per 1 lakh residents are required to provide adequate. public transport service in urban areas.

2 Chennai Comprehensive Transportation Study (2010) http://www.cmdachennai.gov.in/pdfs/CCTS_Executive_Summary.pdf

3Anathakrishnan, G. (December 17, 2012) “Chennai’s killer bus service” The Hindu http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/chennais­killer­bus­service/article4207089.ece

CHENNAI TRANSPORT VISION | 9 A key goal of Chennai’s recent transport planning efforts is that public transport should comprise of at least 60 per cent of the region’s motorised trips by 2018. To meet this goal, the existing bus fleet must be expanded significantly. Per the World Bank’s Urban Bus Toolkit,4 the minimum requirement varies considerably from city to city, but typically lies between 50 and 120 buses per lakh population (the green region in Figure 4). Chennai’s ratio falls well short of this minimum requirement and has declined somewhat over recent decades. But there is a clear indication that there is demand for public transport. This is demonstrated by the rather spectacular growth of share­autos and mini vans in recent year. This IPTS mode serves nearly 20 lakh trips daily.

To better match the bus supply to travel demand, Chennai requires 1,600 additional buses, expanding the total fleet size from 3,400 to 4,900. MTC should procure high­quality buses to improve the quality of its services. Semi­low floor, AC buses with automatic transmission are strongly recommended as they provide the best value for the price. These buses cost approximately Rs 40 lakh per unit. It is recommended that MTC purchase 1,500 buses at a total cost of Rs. 600 crore.

Figure 5: Derivation of the recommendation that Chennai expand the bus fleet by 1,600 buses in 2013.

Bus depots

Chennai’s existing bus fleet requires 25 depots to store and maintain vehicles. The average size of these depots is 137 buses. It is estimated that developing a single bus depot costs Rs. 8 to 12 crore not including the cost of land. To accommodate the 1,500 new buses, an additional 12 depots will be required at a total cost of approximately Rs. 120 crore.

Maintenance of the 12 new depots must be factored in. We estimate that Rs. 6 crore will be required

4 http://www.ppiaf.org/sites/ppiaf.org/files/documents/toolkits/UrbanBusToolkit/assets/1/evaluate.html

CHENNAI TRANSPORT VISION | 10 to maintain the depots.

Bus stops

Chennai’s bus system includes a total of 4,700 bus stops stops across the CMA. Only 40 per cent of these bus stops have shelters, and 30 per cent have seating arrangements. Of the shelters that do exist, many are significantly undersized with respect to existing passenger demand. A mere 4 per cent of the bus stops have digital displays for route information. Even fewer (2 per cent) have real­time arrival information.

It is recommended that all stops should be updated so that they have consistent amenities for transport customers. In addition, stops should be sized according to passenger demand. Updating a single bus stop to include shelter, seating, signage and real time information display will cost approximately Rs. 8 lakh. Approximately Rs. 392 crore is required to update the 4,700 stops.

Maintenance of the new 4,700 bus stops should also be included. We estimate that each bus stop will require at least 1/10 of the capital expense (0.8 lakh per year) to maintain its condition. Rs. 40 crore is required to maintain each of the 4,700 stops in 2013­14.

Project Area 2 Summary

Table 3. 2013-14 budget request for bus fleet and facilities improvements Implementing Cost Related Project Timeline Agency (Rs. crore) Agencies 1,500 buses MTC Order placed by June 2013; Delivery 600 CUMTA,CMDA from January 2014 CUMTA,CMDA Bus purchasing MTC Order placed by June 2013; Delivery 9 project management from January 2014

CUMTA,CMDA DPR for depot MTC Depots designed by July 2013 2 locations and physical design

CUMTA, COC, 12 depots MTC Depots completed by December 2013 120 CMDA MTC Depots completed by December 2013 1.8 CUMTA, COC, 12 depots construction CMDA project management

DPR for bus stop COC Designs by July 2013 5.7 CUMTA, physical design and MTC, CMDA amenities

CUMTA, MTC, 4,700 bus stops COC Installed by January 2014 380 CMDA

CHENNAI TRANSPORT VISION | 11 4,700 bus stops COC Installed by January 2014 5.7 CUMTA, MTC, construction project CMDA management total 1,124

Table 4. 2013-14 budget bus fleet and facilities Maintenance

Project Implementing Timeline Cost Related Agency (Rs. crore) Agencies

Bus Depot MTC 6 COC maintenance

Bus stop maintenance COC 40 MTC (Inclusive of ITS) total 46

CHENNAI TRANSPORT VISION | 12 Project Area 3. Customer Information Services

Implementing a multimodal information portal for Chennai’s public transport services is a critical component of Chennai’s transport strategy. The customer information system should include a website as well as a call centre to serve customers without web access. Both the website and phone service should support complex inquiries, like planning travel itineraries. It is recommended that the following core options be supported:

● General schedule and fare information ● Service disruptions and changes ● Transport agency contact information and call transfer ● Route­level fare and schedule information ● Real­time arrival and departure information ● Multi­Modal trip planning

A regional transport customer information centre may also wish to include information such as traffic conditions, information on toll roads, transport service complaints / commendations, complete integrated public transport maps, vehicle licensing information, as well as specific instructions related to popular regional destinations. Eventually, the service may be expanded so that Chennaites should call the center to access a variety of regional data, such as airport flight conditions, road closures, paying parking tickets, seeking permits, or making complaints about sidewalk conditions, graffiti, and trash.

A web­based service should also allow the information center to receive digital images to help resolve inquiries and attend to requests via SMS. SMS would also be an efficient method to push essential customer information such as system delays, accidents, or emergency notifications. It is also important that Chennai follow the Open311 standard5 to allow private software developers to create innovative products with the transport data that CUMTA collects. It is possible that similar to advertising contracts for bus stops, that transportation agencies in Chennai can underwrite a percentage of the customer information services operating and capital costs through paid advertisements.

5 For more information see open311.org.

CHENNAI TRANSPORT VISION | 13 Figure 6: Regional transport customer information centre offered by Transport for London.

A model to follow for the web­based portal is Transport for London’s integrated customer website. The site provides functions as a one­stop­shop for information on public transport (including bus and rail), the congestion charge, and cycle sharing. The site offers a multimodal trip planning solution for public transport and cycling routes. It also provides information on London’s electronic fare payment system, the Oyster Card. The program’s robust data collection system, developed to support better regional traveler information, is also a valuable regional resource used by public and private sector partners.

The dramatic growth of the call center industry is a worldwide phenomenon, fueled by advances in information technologies and the decline in the costs of voice and data transmission. Chennai in particular has experienced spectacular growth business process outsourcing (BPO) industry so low­cost, high quality BPO services are available locally.

The initial cost to develop a the online information portal and establish an 5 to 20­seat incoming call center would be approximately Rs. 5 crore. Annual operating costs would be approximately Rs. 1 crore.

CHENNAI TRANSPORT VISION | 14 Project Area 3 Summary

Table 5. 2013-14 budget request for customer information service Cost Related Project Implementing Agency Timeline (Rs. crore) Agencies Customer CUMTA Online portal and call centre 5 MTC, CMRL, information system: launched by June 2012 Southern procurement Railways, Traffic Police

Table 6. Annual customer information service operating and maintenance costs Cost Related Project Implementing Agency Timeline (Rs. crore) Agencies Customer CUMTA Annual 0.5 MTC, CMRL, information Southern system: operations Railways, Traffic Police

Call Center CUMTA Annual 0.5 MTC, Operations CMRL, (Outsourced) Southern Railways, Traffic Police

total 1

CHENNAI TRANSPORT VISION | 15 Project Area 4. Multi-Modal Transport Hub Improvement

For Chennai’s public transport system to function as a coherent network, passengers need to be able to transfer easily from one mode to another. Integration does not merely mean placing stations for multiple public transport modes close together. Instead, it involves the detailed design of stations incorporating the following features:

● Short, direct walking paths for transferring passengers ● Minimal level differences ● Adequate clear space to prevent bottlenecks ● Protection from sun and rain ● Public information ● Place making

With few exceptions, Chennai’s railway stations are poorly integrated with other road transport services. Thus is recommended that for FY 2013­14, at least two multi­modal transport hubs be studied, planned, and constructed. In using the terminology hub, we are not limiting improvements to the stations themselves. While internal stations improvements are important, it is equally essential to improve the surrounding catchment areas to ensure that customers can reach the station quickly and conveniently. What good is a state­of­the­art rail station if it cannot be reached (by walking, cycling, bus, etc.)? It is important to remember that each public transport customer is a pedestrian before and after their public transport trip.

Figure 7: Customer friendly multi-modal hubs minimise the walking distance between public transport services (left) and offer high quality walking connections to enable customers to reach destinations in adjacent neighbourhoods.

Thus, we propose a set of minimum requirements for each major multi­modal hub. Needs will vary per location and context, but each multi­modal transport hub should at least include the following:

● A bus terminal (scaled to the existing connecting services) with an adequate number of well designed bus shelters that have seating and information signage.

CHENNAI TRANSPORT VISION | 16 ● Auto rickshaw stands appropriate for the current demand for intermediate public transport that serve as a feeder service. ● At each station, at least 10 km of new footpaths, designated cycle parking on site, improved lighting, and public plazas should also be provided.

The ultimate goal of this project would be to encourage transfers between public transport modes so that passengers have access to a wider network of origins and destinations. Each public transport mode is operated at a high level of efficiency, not in competition with each other but through collaboration. By providing seamless connectivity at the most important transfer stations, public transport is better perceived as a viable alternative to travel by personal vehicle.

The Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority has initiated the preparation of detailed project reports (DPR) for around 10 multimodal hubs in the Chennai region. In order for the study to provide sufficiently detailed output, including detailed construction drawings, a budget of Rs. 0.2 crore per station will be required.

To implement the recommended improvements tasks must be delegated amongst Chennai’s transportation agencies. We suggest the following task assignments:

● Pedestrian and cycle improvements by COC (≈ Rs. 2 crore per station) ● Bus and paratransit terminal construction by CMDA (≈ Rs. 10 crore per station) ○ Including physical integration, information and signage information, and integrated Ticketing ● Internal station improvements by Southern Railways (≈ Rs. 1 crore per station) ● Internal station maintenance by Southern Railways (≈ Rs. 1 crore per station) ● External station conservancy by COC (≈ Rs. 1 crore per station)

To complete the DPR for 10 stations and to complete two station improvements in one year, approximately Rs. 37 crore is required. We estimate that Rs. 4 crore is necessary for maintaining stations and the station areas of 2 stations.

CHENNAI TRANSPORT VISION | 17 Project Area 4 Summary

Table 7. 2013-14 budget request for Multi-Modal transport Capital Expenses

Implementing Cost Related Project Timeline Agency (Rs. crore) Agencies

Multi-modal hub DPR (10 CUMTA DPR completed May 2013 2 CMDA, stations) - Including full MTC, COC, designs for pedestrian and Southern Railways, cycle, Bus and IPT Traffic terminals, and internal Police station improvements. Pedestrian and Cycle Improvements completed by August CMDA, Improvements 2013 MTC, (2 stations) Southern COC 12 Railways, Traffic Police

Ped and Cycle CMDA Improvements completed by 0.18 CMDA, Construction Project August 2013 MTC, Management Southern Railways

Bus and IPT Terminal CMDA Terminal constructed by July 2013 20 COC, MTC, Construction Southern (2 stations) Railways CMDA Terminal constructed by July 2013 0.5 COC, MTC, Bus and IPT Terminal Southern Construction Project Railways, Management Traffic Police Southern Improvements completed by July 2 Internal station COC, Railways 2013 Improvements MTC, (2 stations) CMDA

Southern Improvements completed by July 2013 0.03 Internal station COC, Improvements Project Railways MTC, Management CMDA

total 36.71

CHENNAI TRANSPORT VISION | 18 Table 8. 2013-14 budget request for Multi-modal Transport Annual Maintenance Implementing Cost Related Project Timeline Agency (Rs. crore) Agencies

Internal station Southern Railways To commence immediately 2 COC, MTC, maintenance CMDA (2 stations)

External station CMDA, MTC, conservancy COC From April 2013 2 Southern (2 stations) Railways

total 4

CHENNAI TRANSPORT VISION | 19 Project Area 5. Parking Regulation and Enforcement

In cities across the globe, parking management is increasingly being deployed as a technique to control the demand for travel by personal motor vehicles. It is estimated that Chennai residents own 26 lakh two­wheelers and 6 lakh cars (11 lakh passenger car equivalents (PCE)), but only 5,000 on­street parking units are priced. It is proposed that the number of priced spaces be expanded to cover 10 per cent of the vehicle fleet in the city. Parking spaces cost around Rs 30 per day per PCE slot to operate. Thus, if the Corporation and the Traffic Police were to assume the operating cost of maintaining and regulating these spaces, it is likely to incur a yearly cost of Rs 60 crore each (Rs.120 crore for both).

To administer the program in an effective and transparent manner, it is necessary to set up a parking management cell at a cost of Rs 2 crore. We estimate that with a pricing of Rs 5 per hour, at peak, off­peak and night time, the system would generate at least Rs 177 crore of income annually. Thus, by regulating and enforcing on­street parking, the city may stand to earn Rs. 57 crore in profit annually.

Project Area 5 Summary

Table 9. 2013-14 Parking management Capital Expenses Project Implementing Timeline Cost Related Agencies Agency (Rs. crore) Establish Parking COC, CMDA, Traffic COC Established May 2013 2 Management Cell Police, Highways

DPR for Parking Management System (including COC / Traffic CUMTA, CMDA, DPR Completed 1 fee collection and Police Highways enforcement facilities)

Parking Control Parking Control COC / Traffic CUMTA, CMDA, Center Center 2 Police Highways Implementation implemented

total 5

CHENNAI TRANSPORT VISION | 20 Table 10. 2013-14 Parking Management Operating Costs per annum Project Implementing Timeline Cost Related Agencies Agency (Rs. crore)

On-street parking CUMTA, CMDA, COC / Traffic Police Annual 60 operations Highways

On-street parking CUMTA, CMDA, Traffic Police / COC Annual 60 enforcement Highways

On-Street parking COC / Traffic CUMTA, CMDA, Annual -177 REVENUES (-) Police Highways

total -57

CHENNAI TRANSPORT VISION | 21 Project Area 6. World-class footpaths on all Bus Route Roads

The Corporation of Chennai is responsible for 304 Bus Route Roads (BRR) with a total length of 222 km. The BRR Department maintains and relays the carriageways on the BRRs every 5 years. However, this reconstruction does not necessarily include the construction or maintenance of footpaths. It is recommended that the periodic improvement of BRR specifically include construction and maintenance of pedestrian footpaths.

Figure 8. Illustration of footpath zones and dimensions to be followed on the BRRs.

To construct adequate footpaths along Chennai’s BRRs that are compliant with the Indian Road Congress (IRC) standards, a clear width of at least 2.8 m is necessary, given that most footpaths have commercial frontage. This width does not include the space for trees, over­ground utilities and street furniture. A total of 2,220,000 sq m of footpaths are required, with a unit cost of Rs. 1,610 per sq m. To construct IRC standard footpaths on both sides of 222 km of BRRs, approximately Rs. 367 crore is required.

CHENNAI TRANSPORT VISION | 22 Project Area 6 Summary

Table 11. 2013-14 budget request for pedestrian footpaths on all bus route roads

Related Implementing Cost (Rs. Project Timeline Agencies Agency crore)

Detailed designs for COC Designs completed by June 2013 5 CUMTA, footpaths on BRRs CMDA, (including specifics MTC, related to removal Highways of temporary and permanent obstructions, as well as compliance with Access standards for people with disabilities)

Footpaths on BRRs COC Footpaths completed by March 2014 357 CUMTA, CMDA, construction MTC,

Highways

COC Footpaths completed by March 2014 5 CUMTA, Footpaths on BRRs CMDA, construction project MTC, Management Highways

total 367

CHENNAI TRANSPORT VISION | 23 Project Area 7. Pedestrian zones in five locations

Besides constructing footpaths along streets with heavy traffic volumes, it is important to identify locations where pedestrian density is the highest and ensure that these environments do more than facilitate movement. In Indian cities, pedestrian spaces are simultaneously social and commercial. As such, plazas, seating, trees and structures for shade, as well as space for street vendors must be designed, managed and protected. In specific cases where the density of pedestrians is very high, it is recommended that other modes of transport be relocated to make the space exclusively pedestrian.

Figure 9: Plan view and Section view of proposed pedestrian only zone for Sri Thyagaraya Road

Pedestrian zone locations must be studied to determine the most appropriate manner to effectively protect them from private vehicle traffic. Pedestrian zones worldwide have clearly demonstrated that they boost the local economy. However, this is not always obvious before the project is implemented. It is important to ensure that the concerns of shopkeepers and local businesses are met regarding the perception of economic disruption. Provisions should be made for easy access by public transport service, as well as a

CHENNAI TRANSPORT VISION | 24 limited amount of paid vehicle parking for the customers that chose to come by private vehicle. Communications plans are essential for establishing pedestrian only zones. It is important that the zones be initially pursued as a temporary intervention to enhance pedestrian access. Phasing pedestrian access in such a way allows for fears of economic disruption to be addressed. The five locations listed in Table are recommended to be transformed into world­class pedestrian zones in the Chennai Metro Area.

Table 12. Pedestrian Zones, Area and Cost

Location Description Area Ped| Area Bus Cost (Rs. crore)

T. Nagar: Pangal Park to Dr. Nair Road 15,744 sqm6 | 4,356 sqm 3.7 Sri Thyagaraya Road (Bus and Pedestrian only)

T. Nagar: S. Usman Road Nathamuni Street to Burkit Road 14,160 sqm7 | 0 2.3 (Pedestrian Zone)

Purusaiwakkam High Road Brick Kiln Road to Mookathal Road 6,098 sqm8 | 5,029 sqm 2.4 (Bus and Pedestrian only)

Wallajah Road loop from TN Legislative Assembly to 40,800 sqm9 | 0 6.6 University of Madras (½ ROW Pedestrian Zone)

Mylapore Tank North to East to South Mada St. 9,100 sqm10 | 0 1.5 (½ ROW Pedestrian Zone)

total 86,000 sqm | 9,100 sqm 16.5

We estimate that pedestrian zones may be constructed at Rs. 1,610 per sq m. Bus only lanes are constructed for a rate of approximately Rs. 2,860 per sqm. Thus, approximately Rs. 17 crore is required to design and construct the five recommended sites.11 Over the course of the year, we estimate that Rs. 1.7 crore will be necessary to maintain all of the pedestrian zones.

6 Bus Lanes = 660m x 6.6m, Ped Zones = 660m x 23.9m

7 Along Flyover = 586 m x 20m; No Flyover = 244m x 10m

8 Bus Lanes = 762m x 6.6m, Ped Zones = 726m x 8.4m

9 Ped Zones = 3400m x 12m

10 Ped Zones = 1300m x 7m

11 Detailed designs, bill of quantities and detailed cost estimates will have to be made before project implementation.

CHENNAI TRANSPORT VISION | 25 Project Area 7 Summary

Table 13. 2013-14 budget request for pedestrian zones Related Implementing Cost Agencies Project Agency Timeline (crore Rs)

Comprehensive DPR COC Designs by July 2013 0.25 CUMTA, for Five Pedestrian CMDA, Zones Highways, MTC, Traffic Police

CUMTA, Five Pedestrian COC Implementation by March 2014 16.5 CMDA, Zones Construction Highways, MTC, Traffic Police

Five Pedestrian COC Implementation by MArch 2014 0.25 CUMTA, Zones Construction CMDA, Project Highways, Management MTC, Traffic Police

total 17

Table 14. 2013-14 budget request for Pedestrian Zone Maintenance Implementing Cost Related Project Timeline Agency (Rs. crore) Agencies

Five Pedestrian COC Annual 1.7 CUMTA, Zones Maintenance CMDA, Highways, MTC, Traffic Police

CHENNAI TRANSPORT VISION | 26 Project Area 8. Human Powered Transport Improvements To improve Chennai’s capacity to serve cyclists, cycle rickshaws, and other human powered transport (HPT) users, the following three projects are recommended: 1. Greenway network pilot project 2. Central Chennai cycle sharing system 3. Pilot dial­a­cycle rickshaw service in North Chennai

Greenway network pilot project Figure 10 highlights a plan for a new urban greenway along a historical nallah, a sewage canal often constructed from a small waterway or floodplain, in Rajkot. Greenways, or “eco­mobility corridors” are linear pieces of urban land, where vegetation is encouraged, and that are managed for public use and HPT travel. To protect movement of pedestrians and bicyclists, personal motorized vehicles are typically banned from greenways. Greenways are often developed into a network of walking and cycling paths that are slowly built within a street grid. Instead of providing a ribbon of concrete footpath on which to stroll next to traffic, greenways are exclusively places for walking and cycling. When developed in an integrated manner, greenways enhance both the environment and quality of life of the surrounding area.

Figure 10. Rendering of proposed greenway in Rajkot, Gujarat.

CHENNAI TRANSPORT VISION | 27 Figure 11. Proposed transformation from alleys and parking (L) to cycle tracks and shady plazas (L)

A greenway system for the city of Chennai is not a new idea. Many “world­class” cities have successfully transformed urban spaces and provided alternative networks for walking and cycling. Rivers and creeks offer an obvious place to do this: they create natural, meandering paths, and people generally enjoy walking by water. There are possibilities other than using waterways and closing down streets: underutilized lots, opens spaces, public parks can be connected to provide seamless connections for pedestrians and cyclists and places for people.

A pilot greenway is proposed for Marina Beach, running from Royapuram in the North to Foreshore Estate Beach in the South. It is also recommended that the greenway include segregated cycle track connections to the MRTS stations along the corridor. This should provide a civic amenity of the highest order, not just for recreation, but for everyday commuting.

It is estimated that the greenway pilot can be implemented in Chennai at a rate of 0.63 crore per km. The network includes: ● A high quality and expanded pedestrian footpath ● Cycle tracks ● Trees ● Benches ● Wastebins ● Speed tables ● Other public space amenities

CHENNAI TRANSPORT VISION | 28 Figure 12. Marina Beach Greenway and Cycle Tracks Proposal

The Marina Beach Greenway project with approximately 11 km of cycle track, footpaths, and amenities (at a cost of Rs. 0.63 crore per km) should require a total amount of Rs. 6.9 crore. The cycle track connections to corridor’s MRTS Stations will require approximately 5.14 km of 3 m cycle track (at Rs 982 per sqm) which should cost the city Rs. 1.5 crore.

Thus, a total of approximately Rs. 8.4 crore is required to construct this project. An additional Rs. 0.25 crore will be required for both the project design and the management of project implementation.

Central Chennai Cycle Sharing System As more and more Indian cities implement high quality bus rapid transit and metro systems, cycle sharing is increasingly an important means of providing last­mile connectivity to mass rapid transit stations. The public cycle sharing systems that are popular in many countries are a relatively new concept in India, but in the last few years, several Indian cities have shown interest in setting up such systems. A pilot phase of India’s first fully automated cycle sharing system was recently launched in Bangalore, and additional systems are planned in Bhopal, Gurgaon, Mysore, and Rajkot.

CHENNAI TRANSPORT VISION | 29 Figure 13: Rendering of proposed cycle share program in Rajkot.

Today, there are cycle sharing systems in over 200 cities around the globe, and more programs start every year. Some of the largest cycle sharing systems are in Chinese cities like Hangzhou and Shanghai. Washington, D.C., USA; Paris, France; and London, U.K., have hugely successful systems that have helped re­energize cycling in those cities, providing an ideal transport solution for short trips and a feeder to other public transport options. Cycle sharing is a nonpolluting and healthy mode of transport. Cycle sharing helps increase the profile of cycling, bring new users into the fold. Critical to achieving these goals is ability to maintain high standards in reliability and customer service in the initial round of cycle sharing systems

Figure 14: Bangalore cycle station (left) and diagram denoting the important balance between coverage area and the number of cycles (right).

Thus, the second HPT project recommended is a phase 1 cycle sharing system that is integrated with Chennai’s mass rapid transit systems, namely the MRTS, suburban rail, and metro. It is estimated that a pilot sharing system could be developed in the Central Chennai / Mylapore area that has the following

CHENNAI TRANSPORT VISION | 30 characteristics: ● System area: 19 sq km ● Station catchment radius: 300 m ● Number of stations: 157 (82 small stations (15 cycles at each), 38 medium stations (30 cycles each), 37 large stations (60 cycles each) ● Total cycles: 4,590

With a cost per cycle at ≈ Rs. 0.8 lakh, it is estimated that Rs. 36.7 crore in capital and Rs. 4.6 crore in operating expenses would be required for the initial years. An additional Rs. 1.2 crore will be required for the project design and the management of project implementation.

Pilot Modern Cycle Rickshaw Fleet It is important that Chennai support public transport services by providing a wide variety of “first­mile / last­mile” connections between transport stops and final destinations. Last mile / First mile connectivity implies connecting to public transport services from the points of origin and destination. It is equally important that the CMA reduce its reliance on motorised vehicles and give priority to human powered modes. Traditional cycle rickshaws are ideal for short journeys and especially useful for moving goods and people through narrow congested streets.

Figure 15: Diagram of regularized cycle rickshaw network, and example of Fazilka Ecocabs mobile application

CHENNAI TRANSPORT VISION | 31 Recently, the Indian government has begun to recognize the utility of this mode and and introduce initiatives that promote cycle rickshaws as a sustainable, non­polluting alternatives to short­distance intermediate public transport. Thus, we suggest that a pilot project be established to formalize cycle­rickshaw service in North Chennai and Georgetown. Given the street widths and block sizes, the High Court, Mannadi, and Washermanpet Chennai Metro stations will especially benefit from a cycle rickshaw­based feeder service.

Cycle rickshaws are more willing (and prefer) doing short distance trips as compared to auto rickshaws. Typically, cycle rickshaw trips are less than 2 km. It is estimated that a cycle rickshaw will carry between 20 and 50 persons a day. Based on the potential demand for travel in the area, we estimate that an initial fleet of 100 modern rickshaws is required.

For the third HPT project, we recommend a pilot implementation of a streamlined cycle rickshaw service that is available via phone call, SMS, mobile apps, website, or at door step through a simple network of call centers. It would operate similar to a dial­a­cab / taxi service. It is estimated that such a service can bridge the gap between a high demand for transport and a low supply of intermediate public transport operators willing to make short journeys. A regularized rickshaw fleet can be designed to accommodate ample space to display paid­for advertisements. A program coordinator / manager, call center / dispatch staff and dedicated repair service is also required. To make the service more consistent and dependable, facilities should include covered rickshaw parking, a puller hostel and canteen.

To implement phase 1 of this service in North Chennai, it is estimated that Rs 20 lakh in capital costs and Rs 30 lakh in annual operating expenses are necessary.

Project Area 8 Summary

Table 15. 2013-14 budget request for human powered transport improvements Project Implementing Timeline Cost Related Agencies Agency (Rs. crore)

DPR for Marina Beach COC DPR submitted by 0.13 CMDA, Highways, Cycle Track w/ MRTS July 2013 Southern Connections Railways, Traffic Police

Marina Beach Cycle COC Construction 8.4 CMDA, Highways, Track w/ MRTS complete by March Southern Connections 2014 Railways, Traffic Construction Police

CHENNAI TRANSPORT VISION | 32 Construction Marina Beach Cycle COC 0.13 CMDA, Highways, complete by March Track w/ MRTS Southern 2014 Connections Project Railways, Traffic Management Police

DPR for Central COC System launch by 0.6 CMDA, Highways, Chennai Cycle Share March 2014 CMRL, Traffic System Police Central Chennai Cycle COC System launch by 36.7 CMDA, Highways, Share System March 2014 CMRL, Traffic Implementation Police Central Chennai Cycle COC System launch by 0.6 CMDA, Highways, Share System Project March 2014 CMRL, Traffic Management Police DPR / Implementation / COC System launch by 0.3 CMDA, Highways, Project Management March 2014 CMRL, Traffic for Pilot Cycle Police Rickshaw Fleet total 46.86

Table 16. 2013-14 budget request for human powered transport improvements Project Implementing Timeline Cost Related Agencies Agency (Rs. crore) Central Chennai COC Annual 4.6 CMDA, Highways, Cycle Share System CMRL, Traffic Operations Police Pilot Cycle Rickshaw COC Annual 0.3 CMDA, Highways, Fleet Operations CMRL, Traffic Police

total 4.9

CHENNAI TRANSPORT VISION | 33