Bangalore's traffic mess is caused by trying to widen roads endlessly to keep up with increasing vehicle numbers, which has failed worldwide. The solution is to move to sustainable transport by increasing public transport like commuter rail and buses, reducing private vehicles, and promoting cycling and walking. This could reduce vehicle numbers by 75%, commute times by 50%, pollution by 80%, and road spending by 90%, allowing more investment in essential services. While metro rail would take over 100 years, commuter rail could start in 1 year for a fraction of the cost and provide immediate benefits through a more sustainable transport system.

1. Bangalore's traffic mess
The solution

2. A dream
A Green Bangalore, with clean air, peaceful roads

3. The current nightmare
Terrible pollution, road accidents, loss of trees,
loss of homes and businesses to road widening

4. Can we forget the nightmare
and
achieve the dream ?

5. The current strategy
Widen roads to keep pace with traffic
Traffic is doubling every 5 years. Road space can never
Illogically, we are trying to double keep pace with vehicle
Road space every 5 years. population.

6. 'Dog chasing its tail' strategy
has failed all over the world
20-lane road in
USA.
Congestion remains, despite endless road
widening.

7. So what's the solution ?

8. Move to sustainable transport
Increase public transport, reduce private vehicles.
Public transport = mass transport + taxis + autos
+
Increase Non-motorized Transport (NMT)
Cycling and Walking
This is the only solution that will work in the long term.

9. Sustainable transport could lead to this
Reduce
No. of vehicles by 75 %
Commute time by 50 %
Pollution by 80 %
Spending on roads by 90 %
Increase spending on
Water, Health care, Education, Electric power

10. Which mass transport ?

11. Metro ?
Like London, Paris and New York, Bangalore needs
400 km. of Metro tracks.
The other cities took 150 years to build 400 km. of Metro.
Bangalore has taken 5 years to build 4 km.
42 km. in phase 1 is going to cost Rs. 12,000 Cr.
1. Bangalore Metro will take 100 years, cost Rs. 1 Lakh Crore.
2. We will not be alive to see its benefits.
MG Road, before Metro MG Road, after Metro

12. Bus ?
150 people in cars 150 people in 2 buses
and 2-wheelers
Road space used by a person in a bus is 3 % compared to a
a car, 5 % compared to a 2-wheeler

13. The bus already works, beautifully
BMTC has 6000 buses, 0.5 % of the total vehicle population
of 36,00000 (36 lakhs). It carries half the city's population.
Proportionately
One half of Bangalore
occupies this much road
space in 36 Lakh private
vehicles.
The other half of
Bangalore occupies this
much road space in
6000 buses.

14. Commuter rail ?
Will run on existing rail tracks, 405 km. distance.
Connects all suburbs.
Starts with 15 minute frequency, increases to 5-10 minutes in 7 years.
Can start in 1 year, Rs. 8000 Crore total cost.

15. It's decision making time

16. Option 1
Keep widening roads and destroying Bangalore
+
Wait for Metro for 100 years, cost Rs. 1 lakh Cr.
2005 2010 2015 2020 ?

17. Result
Air pollution, road accidents, loss of trees, loss of homes
and businesses to road widening

18. Option 2
For long commutes – public transport
Commuter rail
Bus
Taxis
Autos
For short commutes - Non-motorized transport
Cycling
Walking

19. Result
A green Bangalore, with clean air, improved mobility,
more money spent on healthcare, water, power,
education

20. Does it really need great intelligence to
decide which option is better ?

21. But you think it is Utopian ?
Sustainable transport is too long term, OK for developed
countries like Holland but not practical in a developing
country ?
See
How sustainable transport can be implemented in Bangalore.

22. What you can do
1. Start practising sustainable transport – take public
transport, cycle or walk whenever possible. Can you start by
not driving to that neighbourhood shop that's half a km.
away ?
2. Reduce your addiction to your private vehicle, in stages.
3. Convince friends that sustainable transport is the only
way to go – personally, through social media, etc.
4. Participate in campaigns pushing for sustainable
transport – email, petitions, public meetings, demonstrations
– in whatever way you can.

23. “A Developed country is not
a place where the Poor have
cars, it's where the Rich use
Public Transport”
- Enrique Peñalosa, former Mayor of Bogota, Columbia, and
sustainable transport guru

24. Further reading
Some of the articles are a couple of years old. The data may be slightly old, but
the essence of the arguments does not change.
Why the Metro is not a solution
Why road widening is stupid
Enrique Penalosa - Brief biography
Interview with Enrique Penalosa
Bangalore commuter rail
Groups working for sustainable transport
Want to join and work in a group working for sustainable transport in Bangalore?
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