Swanky Bus Rapid Transit System buses to drive into Bopal?

The Ahmedabad Janmarg Ltd's (AJL) Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS) is going places and may also reach Bopal and Ghuma.

The AJL, a special purpose vehicle of Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) for development of urban transport, has already charted out plans to link SP Ring Road in Bopal with Shivranjani.

The civic body has already awarded contracts for carrying out work on the second phase of the project. Sources said that it may further take the transport system to Bopal village and even to Ghuma.

The centre's urban development ministry has given its sanction for AMC's present BRTS network plan. The centre grants 35% of the BRTS project cost under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM). "The civic body needs to get separate sanction from the urban development ministry in case of extending the urban transport service to new areas," said sources.

Anjana Patel, sarpanch of Bopal, said the area is a fast developing one and the civic body should think of bringing the service to Bopal and Ghuma. "BRTS can attract good number of passengers from this area. Many people here would opt for an efficient and swanky public transport system like BRTS," she said. Sources also said that AJL is planning an elevated corridor to avoid the traffic on SP Ring Road.

"Moreover, it is looking for an open plot either in Ghuma or Bopal to build bus depots. As the area falls under the purview of Ahmedabad Urban Development Authority (Auda), the civic body needs its cooperation in getting a suitable plot," said sources.

But IP Gautam, municipal commissioner of Ahmedabad, termed the idea of taking BRTS to Bopal a far fetched one. "How can we take any decision for an area which is not covered under AMC limit," said Gautam.

Dharmendra Shah, chairman of Auda said that he had not received any proposal from the civic body in this regard. "If we get such a proposal we will take a decision that is in the interest of the society," said Shah.