CIRT workshop on PPP / BRT: June 2009

A workshop was conducted on 20th June 2009 at the Central Institute for Road Transport (CIRT) located at Bhosri near Pune. Two major issues were discussed at the workshop: Public Private Partnership (PPP) in bus purchases and the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) systems being developed in the cities of Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad. Parisar was an invitee to the workshop.

Pedestrian protest: 7th Feb 2009

Parisar, along with other like-minded groups such as Lokayat, Janwani, Pune Cycle Pratishtan and Pedestrians First organized a protest march from Model Colony to University chowk and back on 7th Feb 2009 to protest against the abysmal quality of pedestrian facilities on that stretch of road in particular and Pune in general. The protest was attended by nearly 100 citizens who marched in peak hour traffic demanding the rights of pedestrians to walk and cross the road safely.

Metro problems

Two big Indian cities, Bangalore and Hyderabad, have been in the news recently because of controversies created by the Metro Rail projects in those cities.

PMPML bus purchases

The most recent transport related issue in Pune media is the controversial proposal by PMPML to purchase about 250 buses (including AC buses) under a public-private partnership (PPP), overturning an earlier decision to buy about 650 normal semi low-floor buses. The controversy has centred around the way the new purchase orders were given – based on a letter from the Secretary to the Chief Minister of Maharashtra – whereas the earlier proposal to purchase buses by PMPML was in accordance with the procedures and norms laid down by JNNURM which is funding the bulk of the purchase. The controversy also extends to whether PMPML should own the buses or whether private parties should, and whether AC buses – which cost a lot more – are required when even the basic bus service is not being provided to any degree of satisfaction.