Vijayawada BRTS
Encyclopedia
The city of Vijayawada
is the first in South India to experiment with a Bus Rapid Transit
system (BRTS). This concept is very successful in many countries and also in few Northern India cities like Delhi, Pune, Ahmedabad. Like other bus-rapid transit systems across the world, Vijayawada BRTS aims to make public transport a more convenient option for its people.
The city would have a rare distinction in the entire country if the Corporation could complete the project as per plan. Because no other city in the country, including Ahmedabad and Delhi where BRTS project is being implemented, have AC bus shelters.
Despite all the hurdles the work started in November, 2008. The Government of Andhra Pradesh issued GO 816 facilitating the formation of Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) for the proposed Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS) in the city on 27 November, 2008.
The Vijayawada Municipal Corporation developed the infrastructure under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission
(JNNURM) to ply buses in the dedicated corridor. By 2011, the project would be completed and will be at people's service.
VMC Commissioner will act as Chairman of the BRT, while APSRTC Executive Director (ED) will be its Managing Director. Krishna district Collector, VGTM-UDA Vice-Chairman, Vijayawada Police Commissioner, Deputy Transport Commissioner (DTC) and APSRTC Regional Manager will function as directors.
The BRT, which has not been named as yet, is likely to be called either ‘Vijayawada Metropolitan Transport Authority’ (VMTA) or ‘Vijayawada Public Transport Services’ (VPTS).
The project will be set up with an initial capital of Rs. 2.03 crores. APSRTC will have to shell out Rs. 16 crores on rolling stock, i.e. 40 buses and Rs. 1.2 crores on as many as bus stops. Rs. 4 crores would have to be spent on parking lots. APSRTC has opened a central cell to design the buses required for BRTS projects in Vijayawada
, Hyderabad and Visakhapatnam
.
The road connecting the G.S. Raju road and Madhuranagar, which is meant to be an exclusive BRTS corridor, is almost ready now. The old Satyanarayanapuram railway track has been converted into the BRTS road. This dedicated corridor has been named after Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, the first prime minister of India.
The Vijayawada Municipal Corporation (VMC) has commenced construction of these shelters on the BRTS road. On this stretch of the road, two each near Nageswara Rao Pantulu road, Food junction and Madhura Nagar junction would be constructed. And, two shelters are likely at the end of the road, taking the total number to eight. On Bandar road, two bus shelters each at eight junctions would be constructed.
According to the officials, each non-AC bus shelter would cost around Rs. 6 lakhs, while an AC bus shelter would cost around Rs. 8 lakhs. It was initially estimated that an AC bus shelter would cost anywhere between Rs. 14 and 16 lakhs, while an ordinary bus shelter would cost between Rs. 8 and 10 lakhs.
The bus shelters, which are being designed to meet international standards, would have information hub, a kiosk and passenger amenities with side entry. Each bus shelter will have an automatic ticket vending machine. The bus shelters would be constructed on the left side of the kerb of the dedicated corridor.
The city-based Prakash Arts, the leading outdoor advertising agency, has been given the contract for designing the shelters for the BRTS project. The contract was awarded on Build Own Transfer (BOT) basis. The agency would generate revenue by using the interiors and exteriors of the shelters for advertising purposes.
Vijayawada
Vijayawada is the third largest city in Andhra Pradesh, India, located on the banks of the Krishna River and bounded by the Indrakiladri Hills on the West and the Budameru River on the North. The city is located in the Krishna District, about from the state capital Hyderabad.Vijayawada literally...
is the first in South India to experiment with a Bus Rapid Transit
Bus rapid transit
Bus rapid transit is a term applied to a variety of public transportation systems using buses to provide faster, more efficient service than an ordinary bus line. Often this is achieved by making improvements to existing infrastructure, vehicles and scheduling...
system (BRTS). This concept is very successful in many countries and also in few Northern India cities like Delhi, Pune, Ahmedabad. Like other bus-rapid transit systems across the world, Vijayawada BRTS aims to make public transport a more convenient option for its people.
The city would have a rare distinction in the entire country if the Corporation could complete the project as per plan. Because no other city in the country, including Ahmedabad and Delhi where BRTS project is being implemented, have AC bus shelters.
Introduction
The cornerstone for the introduction of BRT system in Vijayawada was put up in 2006. From then there are many hurdles faced by the Vijayawada Municipal Corporation (VMC) to launch the project.Despite all the hurdles the work started in November, 2008. The Government of Andhra Pradesh issued GO 816 facilitating the formation of Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) for the proposed Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS) in the city on 27 November, 2008.
The Vijayawada Municipal Corporation developed the infrastructure under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission
Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission
Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission is a massive city modernisation scheme launched by the Government of India under Ministry of Urban Development. It envisages a total investment of over...
(JNNURM) to ply buses in the dedicated corridor. By 2011, the project would be completed and will be at people's service.
Technical Details
According to the official sources, Vijayawada Municipal Corporation (VMC) would have a share of 25 per cent in the BRT, while the Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC) and the Vijayawada Guntur Tenali Mangalagiri – Urban Development Authority (VGTM-UDA) would have a share of 51 per cent and 24 per cent, respectively.VMC Commissioner will act as Chairman of the BRT, while APSRTC Executive Director (ED) will be its Managing Director. Krishna district Collector, VGTM-UDA Vice-Chairman, Vijayawada Police Commissioner, Deputy Transport Commissioner (DTC) and APSRTC Regional Manager will function as directors.
The BRT, which has not been named as yet, is likely to be called either ‘Vijayawada Metropolitan Transport Authority’ (VMTA) or ‘Vijayawada Public Transport Services’ (VPTS).
The project will be set up with an initial capital of Rs. 2.03 crores. APSRTC will have to shell out Rs. 16 crores on rolling stock, i.e. 40 buses and Rs. 1.2 crores on as many as bus stops. Rs. 4 crores would have to be spent on parking lots. APSRTC has opened a central cell to design the buses required for BRTS projects in Vijayawada
Vijayawada
Vijayawada is the third largest city in Andhra Pradesh, India, located on the banks of the Krishna River and bounded by the Indrakiladri Hills on the West and the Budameru River on the North. The city is located in the Krishna District, about from the state capital Hyderabad.Vijayawada literally...
, Hyderabad and Visakhapatnam
Visakhapatnam
Visakhapatnam is a major sea port on the south east coast of India. With a population of approximately 1.7 million, it is the second largest city in the state of Andhra Pradesh and the third largest city on the east coast of India after Kolkata and Chennai. According to the history, the city was...
.
Revenue
The BRT is expected to get its revenue from advertisement fee, impact fee, differential property tax and public private partnership (PPP) project in ‘Build Operate and Transfer’ (BOT) method on VMC lands. It is estimated that Rs. 10 crores would be generated through the PPP, while the differential property tax would be about Rs. 3 crores. The advertisement fee and impact fee would fetch Rs. 5 crores and Rs. 3 crore, respectively. The total revenues for this project is estimated to be around Rs. 21 crores. As far as now, it is estimated that total investment would be recovered in three to four years. This will have to be registered formally, so as to formalise all revenue streams.BRTS Phase-1
This was approved, and 90% of the constructions was done. The total length of this phase is 15.5 km. This corridor route plan is from Police control room - railway station - CK Reddy road - Satyanarayanapuram - Satyanarayanapuram old railway track road - Machavaram down - Ramavarappadu ring - NTR University of Health Sciences - Benz circle - M.G. Road - IGMC stadium - state guest house - Police control room. The total estimated cost is Rs. 152.64 crores. The municipal corporation has purchased these buses, each at a cost of Rs 50 lakh. Out of these buses few are air conditioned. It is laying BRTS roads at a cost of Rs 150 crore under the Jawaharlal Nehru Urban Renewal Scheme (JNNURM) in the city. After completing these roads, the corporation will hand over the buses to the APSRTC for operation.The road connecting the G.S. Raju road and Madhuranagar, which is meant to be an exclusive BRTS corridor, is almost ready now. The old Satyanarayanapuram railway track has been converted into the BRTS road. This dedicated corridor has been named after Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, the first prime minister of India.
AC Bus Stops - First ever in the country
If everything goes as planned, Vijayawada city would have the credit of launching country's first ever air conditioned bus stops by the end of 2011. The city would have air-conditioned bus shelters under Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS) project. Initially there would be about 24 such bus shelters on the proposed BRTS corridor. Of these, 16 would be on Bandar road, while the remaining would be on the BRTS road at Satyanarayanapuram.The Vijayawada Municipal Corporation (VMC) has commenced construction of these shelters on the BRTS road. On this stretch of the road, two each near Nageswara Rao Pantulu road, Food junction and Madhura Nagar junction would be constructed. And, two shelters are likely at the end of the road, taking the total number to eight. On Bandar road, two bus shelters each at eight junctions would be constructed.
According to the officials, each non-AC bus shelter would cost around Rs. 6 lakhs, while an AC bus shelter would cost around Rs. 8 lakhs. It was initially estimated that an AC bus shelter would cost anywhere between Rs. 14 and 16 lakhs, while an ordinary bus shelter would cost between Rs. 8 and 10 lakhs.
The bus shelters, which are being designed to meet international standards, would have information hub, a kiosk and passenger amenities with side entry. Each bus shelter will have an automatic ticket vending machine. The bus shelters would be constructed on the left side of the kerb of the dedicated corridor.
The city-based Prakash Arts, the leading outdoor advertising agency, has been given the contract for designing the shelters for the BRTS project. The contract was awarded on Build Own Transfer (BOT) basis. The agency would generate revenue by using the interiors and exteriors of the shelters for advertising purposes.