Site visitors bottlenecks in Amritsar: SOPs neglected in BRTS plan
Neeraj Bagga
Amritsar, January 11
Even after the approaching up of mega infrastructure initiatives like elevated roads and the bus fast transit system (BRTS) price round Rs 930 crore through the previous decade or so, visitors state of affairs within the metropolis is but to be streamlined.
As a substitute of easing the move of visitors, they’ve as a substitute resulted in additional bottlenecks. City planning consultants are of the view that many normal working procedures (SOP) related to metropolis mass transport the world over usually are not being complied with so far as the BRTS is worried.
Prof Ashwani Luthra, head of Guru Ramdas Faculty of Planning at Guru Nanak Dev College (GNDU), who studied modern transport state of affairs within the holy metropolis, mentioned highway community has not developed as per the grasp plan.
Raised with an funding of practically Rs 600 crore, the BRTS doesn’t adhere to a number of SOPs like not permitting auto-rickshaws and different small modes of transport to function on roads the place BRTS buses, referred to as metro buses, are being plied. Overcrowding of passengers is regular in autos with passengers in 5 auto-rickshaws nearly taking over the passenger share of a bus which has a strict time schedule to observe. These ought to truly be feeding passengers to the metro buses.
Equally, the space between two bus stops of metro buses mustn’t exceed 500 meters and no at-grade crossing needs to be there. Each these norms weren’t complied with. Junction-to-junction distance has elevated. At many locations, cycle tracks made alongside the BRTS route usually are not barrier-free.
Constructed at an estimated value of Rs 350 crore, the 4.5 km lengthy elevated highway additionally failed its goal of providing a handy trip to vacationers coming by highway. It elevated the influx of commuters and vacationers arriving by the GT highway however they ultimately discover themselves caught within the congested metropolis roads. Ideally, it ought to have been related with the ISBT to facilitate the sleek move of buses.
Satnam Singh, who operates a lodge within the neighborhood of the Golden Temple, mentioned most vacationers complain of frequent and extended visitors jams on metropolis roads.
DC Harpreet Singh Sudan mentioned visitors administration was the one resolution. With the incorporation of mega infra initiatives, tempo of urbanisation and rise in floating inhabitants, visitors has elevated manifold within the metropolis within the final decade and extra, he mentioned.