Comments on: Bus Rapid Transit Under Fire in Delhi, India

By: Roy

Roy — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 08:51:11 +0000

Whether BRT is good or bad, it is for sure that this ‘news’ programme was heavily biased and the two reporters are big idiots! They pronounce 99% people would say BRT is a bad idea — oh yeah??? Do they know how many people would say they don’t deserve to be journalists?

By: asj

asj — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 15:44:15 +0000

I am writing with regards BRT projects as implemented in two Indian cities. Despite being a campaigner for improving Pune’s bus public transport system, I have not managed to share the optimism over BRT projects in Pune (and perhaps Delhi) for various reasons. Unfortunately a number of factors are being over looked in the ongoing debates. Concepts such as cost effectiveness and opportunity costs remain forgotten. Equally to run after a dream called BRT without having basic pre-requisites in place is nothing but foolish. For more details on my views with 15 embedded links please read my article by clicking here http://better.pune.googlepages.com/WhyBRTinIndiadoesnotexciteme.htm

By: Dario Hidalgo

Dario Hidalgo — Wed, 21 May 2008 18:32:49 +0000

Despite the initial operational problems it is important to recognize the benefits of the Delhi busway. As a concept, the busway is a great improvement over the previous conditions for the majority of people using the corridor: the bus riders.
This starts to be recognized in comments and surveys: see
http://www.ibnlive.com/news/delhis-brt-corridor-bane-for-some-boon-for-others/63922-3.html
http://www.ndtv.com/convergence/ndtv/story.aspx?id=NEWEN20080048558 (a real poll showing the great Delhi divide, great benefits to bus users and drivers, negative impacts to the minority of car users)

Now “Transport officials satisfied with BRT progress so far” http://www.ibnlive.com/news/transport-officials-satisfied-with-brt-progress-so-far/65223-3.html

The bus corridor can and should be improved, hopefully through the introduction of BRT concepts not considered in the pilot implementation: controlled operation of the buses, level access, pre-payment, improved user information systems.

It is too early to call the pilot corridor a failure. Most implementations in developing countries have problems at the beginning, and all have resolved the issues over time. See http://www.embarq.org/documentupload/Hidalgo_TT%20BRT%20in%2011%20Cities.pdf

By: Peter Skosey

Peter Skosey — Fri, 16 May 2008 19:48:49 +0000

I am surprised they even call this a news show. it looks like a commentary on the reporters personal views. My favorite, “IF we were to do a poll 99% of people in Delhi would be oppossed.” So, I guess there is no need to do a poll since he knows the answer already. and the other one from the professor expert who says, “there is no answer to this congestion cause our road wasn’t built for it.”

By: Gaurav

Gaurav — Wed, 14 May 2008 14:07:15 +0000

This channel is after this project well before launch. Unfortunately criticizing a project is easy way to boost TRP of the channel.
99% is a funny figure. I know whole bunch of people who are happy with the BRT system. Over 60% of Delhi population travels by buses and they are very happy with the system. Travel time by buses have reduced by whopping 2/3rd. Every single expert is saying this project is most appropriate for Delhi but these so called journalist experts think differently. Shame on India media. He doesnt let the person speak who wanted to speak in favor of BRT.

By: Andy B from Jersey

Andy B from Jersey — Tue, 13 May 2008 21:29:47 +0000

I wonder if the Indian cast system has any role to this sense of entitlement; the upper casts in their cars while the lower ones take the bus.

It’s not like we don’t have some unwritten system here in the US. Any body who rides a bike in the US knows what I mean but I’m seriously curious about India.

By: Charles Siegel

Charles Siegel — Tue, 13 May 2008 20:07:27 +0000

“the vast vast majority of people there will be too poor to ever own cars, even if they have phenomenal economic growth for the next 100 years!”

You underrate the impact of growth. India’s economy is growing at 8% or 9% per year. A growth rate of 7% is a doubling time of 10 years, so if India’s economy grows at 7% for the next 100 years, it will double 10 times, increasing more than 1000 fold.

Actually, India and China will both reach America’s current standard of living some time this century if their current growth rates continue. If I remember my projection, China would reach this level in the 2040s.

That is the frightening fact about growth – and that is why current growth rates can’t continue.

By: Mark Walker

Mark Walker — Tue, 13 May 2008 18:19:12 +0000

“When you watch the news footage though, you will notice that the journalist never interviews a single bus passenger to see what their satisfaction is with the system. All they show is disgruntled car owners who fume about what the bus rapid transit corridor has done to car traffic.”

This is exactly the same way TV newscasts covered congestion pricing in NYC. The reporter would stick a microphone into the window of car after car, then the program would cut to an SUV ad, and finally the news team would get into their cars and drive home to the suburbs.

By: jmc

jmc — Tue, 13 May 2008 17:48:56 +0000

There’s no way mass car ownership will work out well in India. They don’t have enough money to build enough roads, there’s not enough gasoline left, and the vast vast majority of people there will be too poor to ever own cars, even if they have phenomenal economic growth for the next 100 years!

By: jmc

jmc — Tue, 13 May 2008 17:46:38 +0000

That’s terrible, not one interview with a bus passenger!

By: sonny

sonny — Tue, 13 May 2008 17:25:58 +0000

if you think the sense of entitlement is bad in nyc, you’d be disguisted with attitudes in india