Bus Rapid Transit System important for green Ahmedabad by 2035

If you had been thinking about the Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS) in the city just as another convenient means of conveyance only, then perhaps you had underestimated the project. The BRTS will not only give you a convenient transportation but also give you a better quality of life.

A research paper in IIMA called 'Ahmedabad - Low Carbon Society Vision 2035' which was recently presented in the climate change summit at Copenhagen by Professor PR Shukla cited the significance of the BRTS in achieving a low-carbon society scenario in Ahmedabad in 2035.

A low carbon society scenario as planned by the researchers of IIMA aims to enhance health security through the improved air quality and energy security due to the reduced usage of fossil fuels.

The study says that BRTS is a significant initiative which would contribute to achieving a reduction of 40.7 million tones of carbon dioxide (CO2) from the estimated 61.1 million in 2035. The current carbon emission of the city is around 10.2 million ton of CO2 every year.

The research said that the new public transport system will not only increase the bus patronage but also result in an enhanced quality of service for passengers, mapping out loss-making routes, reduction of overlapping routes and maximising fleet usage by efficient management through constant monitoring of the buses through the GPS vehicle tracking system.

Along with the BRTS, the study also mentioned the importance of initiating other actions, including energy efficiency through device improvement, low carbon electricity though the use of green power like solar and wind, coal with carbon capture storage (CCS) and others. It also proposes focus on material efficiency like use of sustainable, local and renewable materials, environmental structure like water resource and waste management, land use planning like increasing green cover, governance and financing.