Kolkata Transportation Thread - (Surface/Water only)

[studdmanster]

X-Posted From Kolkata Cityscapes
A radio taxi| Great Addition to the city Fleet

[studdmanster]

X-Posted From Kolkata Cityscapes
A new route: Shakuntala Park - Sector 5 (W3/A)

[studdmanster]

X-Posted From Kolkata Cityscapes
A Volvo standing in front of MUK station

[studdmanster]

Fliers hassled with taxiwallahs at the Kolkata airport might soon have more to bear with. Taxi associations have proposed a hike in fares for taxis plying from the airport, though pre-paid taxi booths in Howrah and Sealdah stations will be charging the usual fares. The proposal awaits a go-ahead from the state transport department.

The fare revision proposal was taken at a meeting of three taxi unions. "The three unions have agreed upon a revised chart. Bengal Taxi Association (BTA) will now pass it in the forthcoming committee meeting and forward it to the transport minister for his approval," said BTA secretary Bimal Guha.

Going by the proposal, fliers going to places like Dhakuria, Rashbehari Avenue, Behala Chowrasta, Golf Green, Alipore, Garia in the south and Shyambazar, Sovabazar, Dunlop in the north will have to cough up Rs 20 to Rs 60 more than the usual pre-paid fares. Residents of Rajarhat New Town, Salt Lake and Karunamoyee are likely to benefit from the proposed fares. In fact, fares for New Town have decreased for reasons best known to the taxi operators.

State transport minister Ranjit Kundu, however, is not too keen on the proposed revision. Even as he maintains that fares at all pre-paid booths need revision, he does not endorse the proposed hike only for the airport. "Why should the government make an exception for one area? I have not received the proposed chart as yet. But if taxi operators continue to press for the revision, they will end up as losers. The Volvo bus service from airport has been a great hit among fliers. We are going to increase the routes and frequency of buses," Kundu said.

Interestingly, Volvo buses provide more comfort and space at a fare much lower than that of taxis. It charges passengers between Rs 20 and Rs 60, depending on the distance. A Volvo ride from the airport to Tollygunge costs Rs 60 while under the proposed fare chart, taking a cab from the airport to Tollygunge will come up to Rs 320.

Taxi operators are adamant, though. "The proposal is based on the kilometre run, shortest possible way, and how prominent or odd is the location of the destination," said Alok Talukdar, the general secretary of the INTUC-backed.

However, senior members of the union pointed out that three unions agreed to the revision factoring in the empty run by taxis during return, costs to keep the touts and police happy.

"Golpark is a favourite route as it's easy to get shuttle passengers on our way back to the airport. Although it is hardly half a kilometre from Dhakuria, it is hard to get shuttle passengers from Dhakuria," said a senior union member, without a bother for the fact that meter taxis are not meant for running shuttle services.

However, the Belgharia Expressway has reduced taxi fares to Bally. The same is true with the Rajarhat Expressway, which has reduced fares for the New Town passengers. "If we stick to the old fare, we won't get passengers. That is the reason behind our proposal to decrease fares in these routes," a union member said.

Source:TOI

[arijeetb]

Originally Posted by studdmanster

Fliers hassled with taxiwallahs at the Kolkata airport might soon have more to bear with. Taxi associations have proposed a hike in fares for taxis plying from the airport, though pre-paid taxi booths in Howrah and Sealdah stations will be charging the usual fares. The proposal awaits a go-ahead from the state transport department.

The fare revision proposal was taken at a meeting of three taxi unions. "The three unions have agreed upon a revised chart. Bengal Taxi Association (BTA) will now pass it in the forthcoming committee meeting and forward it to the transport minister for his approval," said BTA secretary Bimal Guha.

Going by the proposal, fliers going to places like Dhakuria, Rashbehari Avenue, Behala Chowrasta, Golf Green, Alipore, Garia in the south and Shyambazar, Sovabazar, Dunlop in the north will have to cough up Rs 20 to Rs 60 more than the usual pre-paid fares. Residents of Rajarhat New Town, Salt Lake and Karunamoyee are likely to benefit from the proposed fares. In fact, fares for New Town have decreased for reasons best known to the taxi operators.

State transport minister Ranjit Kundu, however, is not too keen on the proposed revision. Even as he maintains that fares at all pre-paid booths need revision, he does not endorse the proposed hike only for the airport. "Why should the government make an exception for one area? I have not received the proposed chart as yet. But if taxi operators continue to press for the revision, they will end up as losers. The Volvo bus service from airport has been a great hit among fliers. We are going to increase the routes and frequency of buses," Kundu said.

Interestingly, Volvo buses provide more comfort and space at a fare much lower than that of taxis. It charges passengers between Rs 20 and Rs 60, depending on the distance. A Volvo ride from the airport to Tollygunge costs Rs 60 while under the proposed fare chart, taking a cab from the airport to Tollygunge will come up to Rs 320.

Taxi operators are adamant, though. "The proposal is based on the kilometre run, shortest possible way, and how prominent or odd is the location of the destination," said Alok Talukdar, the general secretary of the INTUC-backed.

However, senior members of the union pointed out that three unions agreed to the revision factoring in the empty run by taxis during return, costs to keep the touts and police happy.

"Golpark is a favourite route as it's easy to get shuttle passengers on our way back to the airport. Although it is hardly half a kilometre from Dhakuria, it is hard to get shuttle passengers from Dhakuria," said a senior union member, without a bother for the fact that meter taxis are not meant for running shuttle services.

However, the Belgharia Expressway has reduced taxi fares to Bally. The same is true with the Rajarhat Expressway, which has reduced fares for the New Town passengers. "If we stick to the old fare, we won't get passengers. That is the reason behind our proposal to decrease fares in these routes," a union member said.

Source:TOI

if they are increasing fares, let them also phase out the more than 15 years old taxis operating to/from the airport and provide them with new ones. They are a eyesore.

The increase in fares will cause more passengers to use the cheaper and more comfortable option i.e volvos which is good.

[Bombay2Calcutta]

SMOOTH RIDE
After airport, now catch a Volvo to Howrah and Sealdah stations
Krishnendu Bandyopadhyay | TNN


Kolkata: After successfully running a Volvo bus service to and from the airport, the transport department now plans to expand the facility to Sealdah and Howrah railway stations.
Volvo city buses have given bus riders an altogether different public transport experience. “By drawing fliers to board them, these buses have met the objective of inducing people to abandon their personal cars as well as taxis, substantially decongesting transit points,” said a transport department officer, adding that extension of these services to Howrah and Sealdah will substantially reduce traffic in the vicinity of these terminals.
Howrah and Sealdah stations see daily jams due to a poor passenger dispersal system. A very large number of taxis and small vehicles, including autos, converge at these stations. A Volvo bus is likely to keep out at least 10 taxis, say experts. Moreover, Volvos will ensure unmatched comfort levels and safety, said a transport planner.
A transport department study underlines the need for Volvo services from Howrah and Sealdah to north and south Kolkata as well as Salt Lake. “We may add up more routes later,” said a West Bengal Surface Transport Corporation official. Currently, passenger transport company Royal Cruiser is operating ten Volvo city buses. Some ply from Tollygunge to the airport and others from Santragachi to the airport. A state transport PSU is running 10 such buses from Esplanade to the airport.
“We have observed that passengers who board a Volvo once on a long distance (intra-city) route prefer to do so again and again. The automatic temperature control system on these buses will never make you feel uncomfortable, no matter how often the door is opened and closed,” said a Royal Cruiser Konnect official.
Most passengers of these buses say they are spared bone-rattling jerking that is common in other modes of public transport in the city. “A very superior suspension system converts a jerk into a minor ripple,” Banerjee added. Now, five buses are shuttling between the airport and Tollygunge at 40-minute intervals which will eventually be reduced to 12 minutes when 60 such ultra-low-floor buses hit city roads. The fare chart on this airport route ranges between Rs 20 and Rs 60.
“The biggest advantage of having Volvo buses on city routes is that they can substantially decongest roads by drawing a large number of car owners to board them. If fewer cars hit city roads, traffic snarls will automatically decline,” said Akash Passey, managing director of Volvo India.
A senior transport department officer said: “Some 1,300 better quality buses would be brought under the JNNURM scheme. Asansol will get 100 while 1,200 would be for Kolkata alone. Out of these, 900 would be AC buses and 300 would be high quality low-floored buses, including 60 Volvo buses.”
Under the JNNURM scheme, 35% of the fund will come from the Centre, and 15% will be borne by the state government. Following the public-private partnership, the remaining 50% will be paid for by a private operator, who will run the bus and pay a monthly royalty to the transport PSU against the permit.

[Bombay2Calcutta]

Fortnight before deadline, 75% of low-floor buses nowhere to be seen
Swati Sengupta | TNN

Kolkata: Less than a fortnight ahead of the delivery deadline for low-floor buses that state bus companies are acquiring under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM), only a quarter of the 1,200-strong fleet promised by the state government has hit the roads. Worse still, none of the additional 100 buses meant for Durgapur and Asansol have reached the twin towns in south Bengal.
The state transport department, however, claims the deadline had been extended by a month and insists that all the buses would be delivered by January next year.
Only 400-odd buses, including 20 topof-the-line air-conditioned Volvo buses, are currently plying in Kolkata. Of the remaining 800 buses meant for the city, transport industry sources said around 100 are in the process of being delivered. The fate of the rest 700-odd buses remains uncertain even though transport secretary Sumantra Chowdhury said they are all on the way.
“The Centre has extended the deadline to January 31. We hope bus manufacturers will be able to deliver the remaining buses ordered to them by then,” Chowdhury said on Friday.
His assurance notwithstanding, that appears to be a tall order. Many also doubt the veracity of his claims given the transport department’s failure to meet such deadlines and commitments in the past.
According to the JNNURM scheme, the 35% central funding will not be released if the buses are not delivered by the deadline. With such a huge chunk of the augmented fleet yet to arrive, it is unclear what stand the Centre will take on the delay in Bengal.
Moreover, many are questioning the very intent of the transport department to get the entire fleet of 1,300 buses, given the state’s current financial condition. While the transport department had earlier allocated only 270 buses for the state companies, leaving the rest for private players so that they could fund the balance amount, not many private bus owners have stepped forward despite repeated warnings by the department. Bus operators associations continue to defy the threat of permits being cancelled.
If the buses that find no private takers go to government bus companies, the government has to shell out the remaining amount. While the low floor non-AC buses cost Rs 20 lakh each, the AC ones range from Rs 56 lakh to Rs 82 lakh.
Of the 1,200 city buses meant for Kolkata, 300 were to be AC ones and the remaining low-floor, non-AC variety. In the former category, 60 buses were to be ultra-low floor to be supplied by Volvo and the rest by Tata Motors. The remaining 900 buses were to be supplied by Tata Motors and Ashok Leyland.
According to the department, Tata Motors is yet to deliver any of the 240 AC lowfloor buses. Industry trackers, however, said the fault lay with the state transport department and not bus manufacturers as the former had placed the orders late.

[SarafIndian]

Originally Posted by Bombay2Calcutta

SMOOTH RIDE
After airport, now catch a Volvo to Howrah and Sealdah stations
Krishnendu Bandyopadhyay | TNN

Photo cc TOI

[dibdigc]

Originally Posted by Bombay2Calcutta

SMOOTH RIDE
After airport, now catch a Volvo to Howrah and Sealdah stations
Krishnendu Bandyopadhyay | TNN


Kolkata: After successfully running a Volvo bus service to and from the airport, the transport department now plans to expand the facility to Sealdah and Howrah railway stations.
Volvo city buses have given bus riders an altogether different public transport experience. “By drawing fliers to board them, these buses have met the objective of inducing people to abandon their personal cars as well as taxis, substantially decongesting transit points,” said a transport department officer, adding that extension of these services to Howrah and Sealdah will substantially reduce traffic in the vicinity of these terminals.
Howrah and Sealdah stations see daily jams due to a poor passenger dispersal system. A very large number of taxis and small vehicles, including autos, converge at these stations. A Volvo bus is likely to keep out at least 10 taxis, say experts. Moreover, Volvos will ensure unmatched comfort levels and safety, said a transport planner.
A transport department study underlines the need for Volvo services from Howrah and Sealdah to north and south Kolkata as well as Salt Lake. “We may add up more routes later,” said a West Bengal Surface Transport Corporation official. Currently, passenger transport company Royal Cruiser is operating ten Volvo city buses. Some ply from Tollygunge to the airport and others from Santragachi to the airport. A state transport PSU is running 10 such buses from Esplanade to the airport.
“We have observed that passengers who board a Volvo once on a long distance (intra-city) route prefer to do so again and again. The automatic temperature control system on these buses will never make you feel uncomfortable, no matter how often the door is opened and closed,” said a Royal Cruiser Konnect official.
Most passengers of these buses say they are spared bone-rattling jerking that is common in other modes of public transport in the city. “A very superior suspension system converts a jerk into a minor ripple,” Banerjee added. Now, five buses are shuttling between the airport and Tollygunge at 40-minute intervals which will eventually be reduced to 12 minutes when 60 such ultra-low-floor buses hit city roads. The fare chart on this airport route ranges between Rs 20 and Rs 60.
“The biggest advantage of having Volvo buses on city routes is that they can substantially decongest roads by drawing a large number of car owners to board them. If fewer cars hit city roads, traffic snarls will automatically decline,” said Akash Passey, managing director of Volvo India.
A senior transport department officer said: “Some 1,300 better quality buses would be brought under the JNNURM scheme. Asansol will get 100 while 1,200 would be for Kolkata alone. Out of these, 900 would be AC buses and 300 would be high quality low-floored buses, including 60 Volvo buses.”
Under the JNNURM scheme, 35% of the fund will come from the Centre, and 15% will be borne by the state government. Following the public-private partnership, the remaining 50% will be paid for by a private operator, who will run the bus and pay a monthly royalty to the transport PSU against the permit.

UTTER shame for kolkata
how much will I (all of us) have to suffer for being a CALCATIAN

[SarafIndian]

Photo cc SarafIndian

JnNURM buses

[sabya99]

During my recent trip to CCU I could not find a single volvo bus in the airport area! But I heard that a regular bus service is running between the airport and Tollygunge tram depot with Rs. 60 oneway fare. I think airport should be linked with the existing north-south metro line and that way pax. dispersal will be faster.

[studdmanster]

X-Posted From Kolkata Cityscapes
inside Volvo bus

[studdmanster]

Originally Posted by sabya99

During my recent trip to CCU I could not find a single volvo bus in the airport area! But I heard that a regular bus service is running between the airport and Tollygunge tram depot with Rs. 60 oneway fare. I think airport should be linked with the existing north-south metro line and that way pax. dispersal will be faster.

It leaves from domestic terminal
and according to the conductor the frequency the bus is 20 mins and the last bus leaves airport @ 8pm/2000 hrs

[studdmanster]

X-Posted From Kolkata Cityscapes
service seems to be good| another already waiting behind

[studdmanster]

X-Posted From Kolkata Cityscapes
Indigo cab|Behind Amby|Looks cool

[sabya99]

Originally Posted by studdmanster

It leaves from domestic terminal
and according to the conductor the frequency the bus is 20 mins and the last bus leaves airport @ 8pm/2000 hrs

I was at the international terminal at about 11.30PM, thats why I missed the Volvo bus!

[SarafIndian]

Originally Posted by ARUNAVA_DEY

So many pics ...wonderful ...gr8 work Saraf on the E-W , thanks to Stud aswell for the Volvo insider's views . Well done .

Originally Posted by Abhishek901

Thanks Saraf Good to see piers coming up fast. Hope that tunneling below Hoogly doesn't takes too long. Are you aware of any opening schedule of elevated and underground portions ?

Originally Posted by arijeetb

Great EW metro updates, Saraf

Originally Posted by Bombay2Calcutta

Yes definitely great Saraf .. Good to see Kolkata metro making progress

Also thanks studd for sharing the nice pics.

Thanks guys..

@Abhishek, 2014 is the deadline. The elevated section will be shorter compared to the underground one..

______________________________________________________

Bus

[kolkata]

A new date/update for the JNNURM buses... actually the report/minister did mention the month but not the year ... ... so will have to wait and see ...

The city is all set to expand its fleet of swanky buses this New Year. The buses, to be bought under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) scheme, are expected to arrive by the second week of January, transport minister Ranjit Kundu said on Tuesday.

“The Calcutta State Transport Corporation (CSTC) is running 60 buses under the JNNURM scheme and will introduce 40 more by the second week of January. Around the same time, the Calcutta Tram Corporation (CTC) will start plying 100 buses,” Kundu said. This will be the first time the CTC will operate buses under the JNNURM scheme.

Source: The Telegraph

[rupakd]

[Bombay2Calcutta]

TOI
Kolkata: Here’s something that can drive away your commuting blues. The state urban development department, which had struck down a proposal for bus rapid transit system (BRTS) in Kolkata last year, has amended the layout of a dedicated bus corridor. In effect, a bus-only fast track is soon set to be a reality under the JNNURM scheme.
“As per the Centre’s specifications, the BRTS layout has now changed from corridors on either side to a dedicated middle path along E M Bypass,” said KMDA CEO Vivek Bharadwaj.
According to sources, the state government hopes to invite tenders for the project in April and complete the first phase of construction (14.5 km between Ultadanga and Garia) in two years. On the cards is another BRTS between Ultadanga and Dum Dum. The estimated cost for the first phase is Rs 310 crore.
Once funds come, Kolkata will boast a BRTS after Delhi, Pune, Ahmedabad and Rajkot. “Post BRTS, commuting from Ultadanga to Paroma Island (where a flyover is now being built), via AJC Bose Road flyover to Red Road will be smooth sailing. The total travel should be about half-anhour,” said Bharadwaj.
Sudip Dutta, director, Bengal Urban Infrastructure Limited — a joint venture of the state government and Infrastructure Leasing and Financial Services (ILFS) — said, “E M Bypass will now be widened to accommodate three more dedicated lanes other than the bus corridor.” Dutta, who is the project advisor, added, “Kolkata has the highest number of passenger buses but the lowest road coverage. Commuters should be encouraged to shift to public transport. For that, comfortable and speedy infrastructure must be provided.”
Under the amended layout, the corridor passes through Ultadanga, the Manicktala access to E M Bypass, Apollo Hospital, Narkeldanga, Salt Lake stadium, Beliaghata, Chingrihata, Metropolitan junction, Mathpukur, Science City, Panchanangram, VIP Bazar, Tagore Park, Ruby Hospital, Mandir Para, Prince Anwar Shah Road, Singhabari, Mukundapur, Ajoynagar, Peerless Hospital, Vaishnavghata-Patuli and Dhalal Bridge. Key junctions include Chingrihata, Paroma Island, Ruby Hospital and Prince Anwar Shah Road. The corridor connects major growth centres like Sector V, Rajarhat, Salt Lake, the Patuli township and Baruipur.
Earlier, the BRTS had aimed at joining a 41-km stretch between Kalyani and Birati and a 21-km corridor between Ultadanga and Kamalgaji.
The now-detailed proposal includes an exclusive paedestrian road, disabledfriendly bus stops, bus bays, platforms, automatic traffic control system, dedicated stations and rapid boarding and alighting systems. The corridor will have buses plying at 50 km per hour with a capacity of 60 vehicles per hour per direction. The dedicated route will require a fleet size of about 90 urban low-floor buses. Emergency vehicles will also be allowed.
Even though the existing fleet of buses, along with those bought under JNNURM, will be allowed access to the corridor, special BRTS buses (fitted with global positioning system linked to control stations will gradually be introduced. Bus-stops will be specially designed and fitted with variable message display. At the control station, information on the vehicle’s whereabouts will be flashed onboard through GPS satellite. The control station will process the data so that arrival time and other information are displayed at the bus stops.