ShareThis
This photo shot was taken in the LB Road Bus Depot. If you think the road has less traffic, then look again and you will realize that the Bus that has stopped, is causing a huge traffic snarl behind. Not to blame the bus, but if the road geometry is modified then, this could be greatly avoided.
To get an idea of the financial loss due to the existing design, we did the following calculation.
The calculation methodology was simple: we took the number of vehicles that stop due to the bus every-time and multiply that by the number of times this incident happens per hour for an hourly loss.
The per day loss(fuel loss) alone amounts to about Rs 7000/ which amounts to 25.8 lakhs a year! (single side of the road) and mind you that is just one mis-aligned bus stop! You do the math for the rest of the city!
This also presents a classic case for a BRT(Bus Rapid Transit) system for Chennai.
The calculation sheet is given here:
In this specific case, the fault may not completely be with the Bus Stop alignment, since the pavement is encroached, walkers and passengers waiting for the bus tend to get onto the road virtually taking away half a lane! And then the cascading starts.
In any case, positioning bus stops in stretches where lesser lanes is only available should be avoided. Also buses can be routed via, the bus depot available nearby, to avoid a traffic block. (This would also need a well designed merging lane)
good calculation. you should give this to the mtc md.
Not to blame the bus?? Really?? From what I can see from the photo, the bus driver has halted the bus right in the middle of the road.. There should be at least 7 ft worth of real estate between the bus stop and the bus. This happens in every Bus Stop.. I am wondering what kind of solution we can come up with for this kind of problem.
This place is next to the adayar police station and very near the corporation zonal office,yet the authorities give a blind eye to the encroachment of the shops there almost by 15 ft,forcing commutters to come to the road ,autos taking over the bus stop,and buses being stopped in the middle of the road.
This is happening places where separate bus bays are available. Basically, mind set of our drivers have to change. This type stopping is creating lot of inconveniences to other commuters and also a national waste/environmental issues.
Good calculation. But do we only talk about the encroachers on the road? No, then we must be wrong, in this world of heavy competition, it not only spares the bus drivers who like to stop at the mid point leaving away a small portion to their right were an auto can navigate through. Ask them they would say the real fact! Added to that, these encroachments on the road side. We need to create awareness among them and limit the competition among bus drivers.
Innovative way would be to ensure the bus bay is curved in like in many places in the OMR. I had been to Trivandrum where the pavement for people to walk is limited to access by either the signboards of shops or parking vehicles. Well maintained, and the bus bay is curved in. But how many buses take the bay, is the question!
Wake up Chennai!