In Mumbai , attempts are on , to turn BEST into something even BETTER !
PROOF
:
On 12th Sept , Shri S R Jadhav ( Traffic
Manager – Planning & Control ) sent to me following email :
Sent: 12 September 2017 14:58
To: Hemen Parekh
Subject: re: fw: A COMPREHENSIVE BEST SOLUTION
Sir,
This
refers to your letter dated 21.08.2017 addressed
to the General Manager, BEST Undertaking.
At the outset, we thank you for providing
suggestions in connection with BEST bus operation.
The
BEST Undertaking is in the process of developing App for BEST buses. Besides,
we are also planning to install GPS on buses to get Real Time Information for
updated Passengers Information System.
In connection with this, we have also noted your suggestion for Bus Route Indicator at bus stops.
We
would also like to inform you that MMRDA is carrying out study for 'Dedicated Bus Lane' on
major corridor of Mumbai.
Yours
faithfully,
(
S.R. Jadhav)
Traffic
Manager
This was in response to my following email :
=================================
Sent: Monday, August 21, 2017 10:01 AM
Subject: A
COMPREHENSIVE BEST SOLUTION
BEST getting BETTER ?
=================================
DNA ( 20 Aug ) carries a news report with following
headline :
“ Now BEST to get smart with GPS , PIS on
buses “
To
ease the commute of travellers, the BEST Undertaking has claimed that they will
ensure that the Global Positioning System (GPS) and Passenger
Information System (PIS) is installed in its buses within six
months.
"
We are sure that the GPS inside buses and Estimated Time of Arrival (ETA)
at bus stops will be available to the public within six
months," said SK
Bagde, General Manager, BEST Undertaking.
==================================================================
While
welcoming this passenger-friendly initiative , I urge Shri
Bagde , to go for a COMPREHENSIVE SOLUTION by implementing my following suggestion
( emailed earlier on 15 Feb 2016 ) :
*
Gradually change over to air conditioned buses
*
Do not allow standee passengers ( this will require adding many
more buses )
*
Introduction of BRTS ( Bus Rapid Transit System )
*
Bus Arrival Time
Indicators (
linked with GPS in all buses ) at all bus stops
*
A tablet type digital
device fitted behind each seat , where passenger to touch his
destination on route map displayed .
Passenger will also touch his smart phone to the device which
will transfer the fare
amount to the bus
operator , through a mobile wallet .
No need for a conductor - as practiced in many foreign countries
!
This will tell the driver , at which stops , which passengers
are getting off and how
many seat / s are falling vacant
If bus is already FULL
and no passenger is getting off at the next bus stop, then driver
will not halt the bus , since he cannot accommodate any standee passenger
If a passenger is supposed to get off at , say XYZ stop ,
digital device will flash a
signal / ring a bell , a few minutes before reaching the stop
The Bus
Arrival Time Indicator , at the Bus-stop will also display the " No of Vacant
Seats " in this bus
This ( No
of Vacant Seats ) sign will also appear prominently on the bus itself as
it
pulls into the halt
It is equally easy to introduce such an integrated traffic
management system in Inter-
City buses as well
Entire intra-city bus traffic will be monitored and controlled
from the Central
Traffic
Control Station of the city traffic department , much in
the same way ATC control air
traffic or railways control train traffic
It is just a question of extending an existing ( but slightly
modified ) technology to
city traffic
As far as density of traffic on various roads is concerned , mobile apps are
already
available
Based on the situation , Central Traffic Control will order additional buses to be
injected on any particular route , at any given time
In some foreign countries , even elevator systems in large
office buildings are
designed to gauge :
* the number of persons waiting for elevator at each floor ( and
how many want to
go UP and how many want to go DOWN )
* the number of persons riding at any time
, within each elevator ( and their travel
intentions ) and adjust their stopping / halting pattern accordingly,
automatically
without human intervention !
Implementing
such a system could not be a big problem for a country which takes pride in
calling itself ,
A
SOFTWARE SUPER POWER
Only thing
lacking is political will
If all of my suggestions get implemented
, Mumbai’s BEST can become a BENCHMARK for Municipal Corporations of Delhi –
Kolkata – Chennai and other Metro Cities
23 Sept 2017
