It is not only Transport Research Board, a transport authority of
the US government that appreciated implementation of the Janmarg Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS) in Ahmedabad when they chose it for the Sustainable Transport Award-2010 recently. Top World Bank officials too were impressed by development and urban governance work undertaken by the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC).
Municipal commissioner IP Gautam made a presentation of development projects like UMEED programme, Sabarmati riverfront development, waste water treatment plant and solid waste management apart from financial reforms taken by the AMC.
On the significance of the meeting with World Bank officials,
Gautam said that the intent behind the presentation was to make them aware of the development in Ahmedabad. "They have been
doing projects on their own and association with any project might be gradually developed as the World Bank works in association with the central government," said Gautam. "We had discussions for about two hours."
Gautam's presentation was about financial reform, urban development work and e-governance by the AMC and was made to World Bank officials including its vice-president. "It was a fruitful interaction," said AMC standing committee chairman Asit Vora.
Vora explained some of the points from Gautam's presentation on BRT that received good response. "One of them was the idea of free trial run for three months. They were surprised that Ahmedabad Janmarg Limited (AJL) conducted this unique way of marketing BRTS. Other aspects presented were: Lessons learnt from Delhi and Pune BRTS failures," said Vora, who claimed the AJL had made some 100 minor design changes to avoid the Delhi and Pune fiascos.