Kolkata Transportation Thread - (Surface/Water only)

[debayanlahiri]

Introduction of tram services in Salt Lake as a feeder to the E-W Metro and New Garia - Airport Metro is a wonderful idea..

[debayanlahiri]

Auto should be removed from proper Kolkata.. Autos should run only in the suburbs and that too on meter..

But I dont think politically that is possible!

[debayanlahiri]

Mini buses should be thrown off road immediately.. A single body for buses must be formed..

Also, integration of urban transportation is necessary..

[debayanlahiri]

Water transportation should be modernised with high speed boats plying between Kolkata and Bandel and Kolkata and Haldia..

Also, all major channels/khals must have speedy transport facilities.. This will ease off traffic on the roads..

[debayanlahiri]

Proper road markings.. Clear display of traffic signals and directions, and underpasses/over bridges at major junctions are necessary..

Also, skywalks (like that of Bandra, Andheri, Bhandup at Mumbai) are necessary at major railway stations like Bidhan Nagar, Dumdum, Ballygunge, Park Circus..

[Souvik_N]

@debayan...love ur spree of ideas !!!!
But u could have jotted them out and post in a single one..it would be a treat to read..

[Joy_ghosh02]

All the private buses (including mini buses) should be removed from the road immediately and Government shoud form a body (may be KTC- Kolkata Transport Corpoation) to run the low floor A/C and Non A/C buses. Later all the mode of transport should come under this corporation so that any one can use any mode of transport by using a single ticket like any other big city in the world.
Also Government should bulid some international standard bus terminus accross the city, like in Sonarpore, Dakhineswhwar, EM By pass, Rajarhat, Saltlake, Bantala, Near Howrah station, near Howrah side of 2nd Hooghly bridge. Also government should remove the Esplanade bus terminus immediately and bulid some park in that place.

[debayanlahiri]

Originally Posted by Souvik_N

@debayan...love ur spree of ideas !!!!
But u could have jotted them out and post in a single one..it would be a treat to read..

Thanks Souvik for liking my ideas.. Its true that I should have jotted them down in one post.. Agree wid u man..

[studdmanster]

Originally Posted by Aritra Das

^Hey guys!......i'm working for smart transport option for Kolkata....i happened to get selected in a competition conducted by IIT roorkee, for smart transport options and my case study was kolkata....i now have to make a report and by 5th and present it on 11th in presence of the members of Planning Commision of India......i was hoping a bit help on your part.....if u guys could help me by lending me with any transport related (both proposed and actual) maps of Kolkat (any featured mode, metro....bus...sub-urban rail....,etc...as well as flyovers and highways...). plz ...it is urgent and i hope quick response from u guyz........

Here are my POVs:

1. Buses:

Merge all the five or six bus companies into one.

Take up all the private buses and dissolve all the private buses and bring them under a new bus company, the one which was formed by the all the state owned bus companies.

Ban all the minibuses.

Shuffle the bus numbers and number them accordingly.

Since managing the city buses and intercity buses could be a difficult task they could up with a branch of the State owned buses, (like MTC in Chennai is a branch of TNSTC), and buses under this name would be serving the city within 100kms diameter! It would contain both AC and NAC buses, which could either be SLF or LF! If possible they should start CNG as mode of fuel! Buses can be segregated under Express, Limited Stops, Special, Night Service, Feeder Service, Ladies Special, to name a few!

Make a Bus Training Academy, where all the drivers have to be admitted, and only those who graduate to drive in city conditions should be allowed to drive.

Remove the Intercity Bus Terminus from Esplanade and then decentralise it. For vehicle using NH2 and NH6, can use the Terminus which could be built near Santragachi interchange! Similarly one Terminus can come up at Barasat, for vehicles using NH34. Permits have to be issued accordingly.

Some world class bus terminus should be built at the above two places, which would be having even a budget hotel attached to it, for helping out passengers who arrive late in the city, or for few hours. (like we have rail niwases and transit hotels). Other major terminuses some more terminuses can come up near 2nd Hoogly Bridge, Shalimar Station, Kolkata (Chitpore) Station, Santragachi Station, Airport, Madhyamgram, Uluberia, Domjur, Dankuni, Singur, etc, infact all the important places which will fall under the 100km diameter, not having a bus terminus!

Upgrade all the existing terminuses with an overhead shed, passenger waiting area, phone booth with internet cafe, chemist shop, food court, proper toilet, electronic display board displaying infos regarding bus timings, proper lighting. All of them should also have service stations at the rear portion of the terminus, where broken down vehicles can be repaired. A passenger waiting rooms should be made, which could be equipped with television sets for their entertainment, along with a PAS (Public Addressing System) for updating the passengers with Bus timings!

For getting funds, the Govt can opt for either PPP model or BOT model. Even some terminuses which would be near CIP areas of the city can give a part of their land for commercial purposes!

2. Regarding Basic Infrastructure:

FOBs and Underpasses could be made at all intersection in the city as well as the suburbs. Skywalk can also come up near Hospitals, important Railway stations!

A better traffic management can be done by educating the cops of both the city police as well as the state police regarding how to manage traffic, teach them about lane markings, how to use traffic lights, if possible connect all the traffic signals within 100km diameter from a central server, and manage them from say a Traffic Management Centre. Physically traffic cops would be present on road, who would be in constant contact with the control room and can contact them during some emergencies, or during some religious rallies! All the crossings should have CCTVs for security as well as round the clock surveillance.

A new tariff structure should be made for fines. The amount of fines should be increased, and fines should be imposed if caught, instead of leaving them for 10 bucks!

Roads should be properly built and digging up road should be stopped. If it is seriously required then that agency should make an agreement according to which it should return the road after work in the same condition as it was before the work started. Also deadlines should be followed for finishing the work!

Proper parking areas should be made, they can be either underground, multistoried (in both cases it can be either manual or automated), or even on ground, with proper parking agents and parking tickets! Again here PPP or BOT model can be tried!

Modern bus shelters and bus stops should be made, with proper lighting and bus timings and numbers!

Segregating the roads as high speed zone, normal traffic zone, city traffic zone, etc.

Proper street signage, clean loos at various street again within 100 km dia! Also, Trauma units as a stand by at High speed zones and NHs that would come under 100km dia! Again here the loos and the Trauma Units can come up under PPP or BOT model.

The river fronts should be upgraded, beautified and if possible at some places Promenades could be made for the citizens! This could also act as high earning zone, by making food courts at various points, a cultural centre, flee market. This can be done on either side of the river.

3. Other Modes:

There is a serious need of looking into the transport system in the suburbs, either they could improve auto services out there by introducing new permits for some new routes, and additional permits, if required for some the running routes. And yes, be it suburb or proper city, the passenger limit per auto should be made four per auto! Again if caught fines should be very high!

River traffic should be improved with proper and modern Launch Ghats, with proper passenger waiting area, lighting, at least fans at the waiting area (if not AC). Also the launches needs to be upgraded with proper seats like buses, spotlights, some could have AC, while the NACs could have fan, however I would prefer the natural air, upper deck should be clean and should carry basic protection along with it, for emergencies. We do have a Floatel but some launches can be transformed into high class restaurant! Who wouldn’t like to have a candle light dinner while cruising in the middle of the river?

While upgrading the riverfront the circular rail track can be elevated, the area underneath can be used for parking! And the station can be attached with the Ferry Ghats (utilization of space).

A road bridge can be made between Raichak and Haldia, Barrackpore and Sheoraphuly, and another one between Sodepur and Konnagar.

You can always use Google Earth to help people know about the areas you are referring to. Along with that u can highlight the areas with different colors.

I hope everything goesout fine for you, and these infos can help you in your assignment!

[Suncity]

My suggestion:

1) A lot of Kolkata's traffic problems is because of people not following road rules and the traffic police not enforcing the rules. So empower traffic police to enforce traffic rules. Also prevent higher up and political interference when laws are enforced. That in turn would mean proper governance from Writers building. Unless people trust the administration to do its job, traffic will be a nightmare.

2) Ban all political or social activist rallies in the city centre except in Sunday afternoon.

3) Clear all footpaths of vendors and hawkers. The footpaths belong to pedestrians. Not politically and social activist backed hawkers. Some inner lanes and bylanes in the city centre can be made pedestrian only and hawkers allowed to vend in such places.

4) Ban autorickshaws from the core city

5) Ban all manual carts like thelas during the day in areas like Burrabazar and Posta (those areas seem like lawless lands with everybody thumbing the laws). Ban hand pulled rickshaws.

6) Introduce more and more modern buses and phase out the murir tin buses

7) Do a proper bus routing system. There are often too many buses in some routes or too many overlapping routes. Also devise a proper numbering system for the buses.

8) Retain trams in the maidan area and run modern trams in a loop around the maidan for tourists. Make it value added by having dining cars in the evening (saw this in Zurich). Keep interchange between tram stops and metro stations.

9) Improve the bus temini in different parts of the city. Prevent them from looking like dumpsters and smelling like the loo. Stop conductors and drivers from relieving themselves under the buses. Build commercial buildings with restrooms, cafetaria plus other amenities in the terminus.

10) Seriously look into building a modern bus terminal under the maidan and Babughat. If needed make them underground. The army needs to cooperate with the civilian government on this.

11) Improve the ferry services across the river and build modern jetties with facilities.

12) mark out proper transfer points. Like Babughat has bus, tram, train and ferry service.

[Aritra Das]

thanx a lot to all of u.....its really great to hear the suggestions from u.......in fact, i have proposed some of these in the report...n surely add others....as for e-mail id.......mail me at dasaritra007@gmail.com if u got any relevant info....maps preferably......thanx a lot again.......i can't help saying how happy i'm to see u guyz so active in it.....

[mountaincloud]

Lots of good ideas from forumers.

add a few more, if you please:

prepare maps for the city that are user-friendly. make maps for tram services, bus routes, metro maps, railway maps. circulate them widely. Advts in these maps can be a good revenue earner as well.

Train the people and regulate public behavior. Taxi drivers should know how to read maps if passengers know only the address, clear rules for refusal/no-refusal, maintenance of taxis to make them roadworthy (a notch higher then simply following emission rules).

construct about 100 parking towers all over the city. these will serve two purposes: clearing the clutter from the streets, and generating revenue.

zebra crossings and traffic lights at all crossings in the city. the pedestrian traffic lights should be in line with the zebra crossing, at its two ends. Transportation department/PWD to learn lane marking, effective use of traffic lights, zebra crossing to regulate public behavior.

clear the unnecessary stuff that occupy the pavements obstructing human traffic. (e.g., some enterprising people construct tiny little fenced plots on pavements to plant "patabaharis"; bigger idea: clearly demarcate what's public, what's private; even better: policymakers to read Jane Jacobs). Somehow create pavements hawker free. Suncity's idea of making some streets pedestrian and putting the existing hawkers there makes sense. There has to be encroachment police -- maintenance is key.

Use better design whenever and wherever applicable. these include a good design for a taxi that defines the identity of the city (maybe a better design of the Amby? I have seen Volkswagen Beetles in Acapulco, like Toyota Crowns in NYC), a better design for the trams, and buses (if the privates come under the umbrella of an entity like the proposed KVRC), better designed bus shelters, bus stops. Basically make public transportation sexy and wanted. make private transportation costlier by tolls inside the city. Use technology - like transponders in cars, instead of stop and pay systems; one card for swiping in the metro and buses and railways.

[sidney_jec]

Originally Posted by Suncity

3) Clear all footpaths of vendors and hawkers. The footpaths belong to pedestrians. Not politically and social activist backed hawkers. Some inner lanes and bylanes in the city centre can be made pedestrian only and hawkers allowed to vend in such places.

Thats a catch22 situation. Though legally they should be evacuated to some place else but we all know how most of them do live and in what conditions. May be there should be pockets where we can have hawker zones away from the road side. but problem is that that too would get political with time.

[G.Ag]

1. Remove the concept of one way during certain times of the day. Too confusing and adds to chaos.

2. Traffic signal timings should be 45 seconds - 1 min for ALL signals. Period.

3. No parking on the road - People have habit of double parking so instead of 1 lane 2 are blocked, on roads where 2 lanes are available for parking 4 are blocked.

[G.Ag]

Originally Posted by studdmanster

Here are my POVs:

1. Buses:

Merge all the five or six bus companies into one.

Take up all the private buses and dissolve all the private buses and bring them under a new bus company, the one which was formed by the all the state owned bus companies.

Ban all the minibuses.

Shuffle the bus numbers and number them accordingly.

Since managing the city buses and intercity buses could be a difficult task they could up with a branch of the State owned buses, (like MTC in Chennai is a branch of TNSTC), and buses under this name would be serving the city within 100kms diameter! It would contain both AC and NAC buses, which could either be SLF or LF! If possible they should start CNG as mode of fuel! Buses can be segregated under Express, Limited Stops, Special, Night Service, Feeder Service, Ladies Special, to name a few!

Make a Bus Training Academy, where all the drivers have to be admitted, and only those who graduate to drive in city conditions should be allowed to drive.

Remove the Intercity Bus Terminus from Esplanade and then decentralise it. For vehicle using NH2 and NH6, can use the Terminus which could be built near Santragachi interchange! Similarly one Terminus can come up at Barasat, for vehicles using NH34. Permits have to be issued accordingly.

Some world class bus terminus should be built at the above two places, which would be having even a budget hotel attached to it, for helping out passengers who arrive late in the city, or for few hours. (like we have rail niwases and transit hotels). Other major terminuses some more terminuses can come up near 2nd Hoogly Bridge, Shalimar Station, Kolkata (Chitpore) Station, Santragachi Station, Airport, Madhyamgram, Uluberia, Domjur, Dankuni, Singur, etc, infact all the important places which will fall under the 100km diameter, not having a bus terminus!

Upgrade all the existing terminuses with an overhead shed, passenger waiting area, phone booth with internet cafe, chemist shop, food court, proper toilet, electronic display board displaying infos regarding bus timings, proper lighting. All of them should also have service stations at the rear portion of the terminus, where broken down vehicles can be repaired. A passenger waiting rooms should be made, which could be equipped with television sets for their entertainment, along with a PAS (Public Addressing System) for updating the passengers with Bus timings!

For getting funds, the Govt can opt for either PPP model or BOT model. Even some terminuses which would be near CIP areas of the city can give a part of their land for commercial purposes!

2. Regarding Basic Infrastructure:

FOBs and Underpasses could be made at all intersection in the city as well as the suburbs. Skywalk can also come up near Hospitals, important Railway stations!

A better traffic management can be done by educating the cops of both the city police as well as the state police regarding how to manage traffic, teach them about lane markings, how to use traffic lights, if possible connect all the traffic signals within 100km diameter from a central server, and manage them from say a Traffic Management Centre. Physically traffic cops would be present on road, who would be in constant contact with the control room and can contact them during some emergencies, or during some religious rallies! All the crossings should have CCTVs for security as well as round the clock surveillance.

A new tariff structure should be made for fines. The amount of fines should be increased, and fines should be imposed if caught, instead of leaving them for 10 bucks!

Roads should be properly built and digging up road should be stopped. If it is seriously required then that agency should make an agreement according to which it should return the road after work in the same condition as it was before the work started. Also deadlines should be followed for finishing the work!

Proper parking areas should be made, they can be either underground, multistoried (in both cases it can be either manual or automated), or even on ground, with proper parking agents and parking tickets! Again here PPP or BOT model can be tried!

Modern bus shelters and bus stops should be made, with proper lighting and bus timings and numbers!

Segregating the roads as high speed zone, normal traffic zone, city traffic zone, etc.

Proper street signage, clean loos at various street again within 100 km dia! Also, Trauma units as a stand by at High speed zones and NHs that would come under 100km dia! Again here the loos and the Trauma Units can come up under PPP or BOT model.

The river fronts should be upgraded, beautified and if possible at some places Promenades could be made for the citizens! This could also act as high earning zone, by making food courts at various points, a cultural centre, flee market. This can be done on either side of the river.

3. Other Modes:

There is a serious need of looking into the transport system in the suburbs, either they could improve auto services out there by introducing new permits for some new routes, and additional permits, if required for some the running routes. And yes, be it suburb or proper city, the passenger limit per auto should be made four per auto! Again if caught fines should be very high!

River traffic should be improved with proper and modern Launch Ghats, with proper passenger waiting area, lighting, at least fans at the waiting area (if not AC). Also the launches needs to be upgraded with proper seats like buses, spotlights, some could have AC, while the NACs could have fan, however I would prefer the natural air, upper deck should be clean and should carry basic protection along with it, for emergencies. We do have a Floatel but some launches can be transformed into high class restaurant! Who wouldn’t like to have a candle light dinner while cruising in the middle of the river?

While upgrading the riverfront the circular rail track can be elevated, the area underneath can be used for parking! And the station can be attached with the Ferry Ghats (utilization of space).

A road bridge can be made between Raichak and Haldia, Barrackpore and Sheoraphuly, and another one between Sodepur and Konnagar.

You can always use Google Earth to help people know about the areas you are referring to. Along with that u can highlight the areas with different colors.

I hope everything goesout fine for you, and these infos can help you in your assignment!

Can you imagine the kind of protests when buses are banned etc? Vandalism, protests, bandhs etc = back to square one

[G.Ag]

Originally Posted by Suncity

My suggestion:

1) A lot of Kolkata's traffic problems is because of people not following road rules and the traffic police not enforcing the rules. So empower traffic police to enforce traffic rules. Also prevent higher up and political interference when laws are enforced. That in turn would mean proper governance from Writers building. Unless people trust the administration to do its job, traffic will be a nightmare.

2) Ban all political or social activist rallies in the city centre except in Sunday afternoon.

3) Clear all footpaths of vendors and hawkers. The footpaths belong to pedestrians. Not politically and social activist backed hawkers. Some inner lanes and bylanes in the city centre can be made pedestrian only and hawkers allowed to vend in such places.

4) Ban autorickshaws from the core city

5) Ban all manual carts like thelas during the day in areas like Burrabazar and Posta (those areas seem like lawless lands with everybody thumbing the laws). Ban hand pulled rickshaws.

6) Introduce more and more modern buses and phase out the murir tin buses

7) Do a proper bus routing system. There are often too many buses in some routes or too many overlapping routes. Also devise a proper numbering system for the buses.

8) Retain trams in the maidan area and run modern trams in a loop around the maidan for tourists. Make it value added by having dining cars in the evening (saw this in Zurich). Keep interchange between tram stops and metro stations.

9) Improve the bus temini in different parts of the city. Prevent them from looking like dumpsters and smelling like the loo. Stop conductors and drivers from relieving themselves under the buses. Build commercial buildings with restrooms, cafetaria plus other amenities in the terminus.

10) Seriously look into building a modern bus terminal under the maidan and Babughat. If needed make them underground. The army needs to cooperate with the civilian government on this.

11) Improve the ferry services across the river and build modern jetties with facilities.

12) mark out proper transfer points. Like Babughat has bus, tram, train and ferry service.

1. As if the traffic police doesn't have powers to enforce traffic rules?

Some rules themselves are so weird that people can't follow them e.g. U Turn .

The biggest trouble makers on the road - autos, buses have unions. They can't be fined. You must have read about how they behave when they are asked to. I could post a link here but that then people here would say its discussing politics and all that nonsense.

I can recall so many instances of people jay walking on high speed roads in front of the cops and they don't give a damn.

2. Ban political rallies? Who will do that? Politicians themselves?!

3. Who wants to lose an easy vote bank? Removing hawkers might be good for pedestrians and the 'rich car owning people' but isn't a politically correct move.

5. Didn't they try banning hand pulled ones? what happened to that?

Carts can be seen on flyovers and even on the EM Bypass (apart from people selling all kinds of vegetables). Not happening

6. Old buses need to be either thrown away or refurbished. Most of them tilt!

8. Trams are a nuisance. Needs to be removed.

9. Even if they have bus terminals who uses them anyway? I remember watching the one at Beliaghata crossing just that people would still stand on the road and buses would stop in middle lane. Result - 1/3 lanes blocked all the time, 2/3 blocked when buses arrive.

[studdmanster]

@ post 315: yes that is problem that could arise but there is a solution for everything, and here goes mine which i think should be an ideal solution!
Ban bandh, and public nuisance by passing an act which will be banning all the parties as well as general people from creating nuisance and causing damage to Public property. If some party people does so, they shall be penalized (monetarily).
the other thing that they should do is to absorb the drivers, train them properly, and allow them drive on road!

[Bombay2Calcutta]

Tram to oblivion

[sidney_jec]

trams should be limited to ferry tourists in the core areas not as a means of mass commute. at best as feeder service to the upcoming metro lines

[SarafIndian]

Few things I would like:

1. Hawkers should go away from main roads. Regarding rehabilitation, govt can think of creating massive hawker's markets around prime areas of the city like the Victoria market of Melbourn. Good for hawkers, good for the city and good for the shoppers.

2. Just bomb that stupid bus terminus in Esplanade and move it somewhere else. We can probably think that area as a large metro terminal, skyscrapers, shopping district or a nice park at least.

3. A four lane circular expressway(ring road) around the city.

4. Trams should be there at any cost. Tram is unique to Kolkata. We just need modern trams. Dumb CTC should go away. Modern tram is anytime better than bus..

5. Restoration of heritage.

6. Another city centre like shopping area around central kolkata and close to esplanade and park-steet..

8. Proper lane marking on each and every road.

9. Kolkata - Haldia, Kolkata - kalyani ex'way and developing modern suburbs around these highways..