Solving the Traffic Puzzle

The other day, I condemned the hyping up of the Bandra Worli sealink as if it were a national achievement. Specifically, I was outraged at the delays and cost overruns. In principle, however, I am quite agreeable to the idea of building a freeway. However, there are some so called experts that are claiming that roads are no longer a solution to traffic snarls as other metros of the world have proven. Rather, mass transit is the way to go. This is the typical hammer syndrome that haunts experts world over; for a child with a hammer in hand, everything looks like a nail.

There are two aspects of conveyance: affordability and convenience. Convenience includes things such as frequency, safety, ease of access, ease of travel, punctuality, speed etc. As commuters, we strive to strike a balance between the two. For example, a modern day knowledge worker finds public transport ridiculously affordable but extremely inconvenient. Naturally, he will go for a motorbike that improves the convenience factor yet remains affordable. Someone with a better pay will get a car so the convenience factor is improved further. Freeways and expressways will definitely improve the convenience, while the toll charges will make a slight dent on affordability. It is only right that those who seek convenience and are able to afford it make use of such amenities. And with the toll system, we have a way to directly make users pay. So there is no need to bring up issues such as taxpayers money being used for the privileged few.

For the mass transit model to work in India – and by that I mean, for all the car users to switch over – it has to be convenient and affordable to this segment of commuters. Affordability is granted; it cannot be more expensive than owning a car. But what about convenience? Can we really run air-conditioned buses and trains that cover the length and breadth of our cities? Can we have good approach roads to railway stations and parking space to leave cars there?

Such infrastructure doesn’t come cheap. Consequently, such a transport system will put it out of the common man’s reach. Are we then saying we will have two transit systems targeting different types of commuters? Will that be sustainable? It is tempting to look at the Delhi Metro for answers, but I don’t think the comparison is apt. More on this in my next post…