The city has transformed beyond recognition in the past decade due to a boom in the personal motorised vehicle market. The congested streets are only reminders of the challenges and hazards that development can pose.
The total private vehicle population in Chennai increased by 300 per cent in the last 15 years. The corresponding period saw a minimal increase in road network and the percentage share of personalised transport went up from under 10 per cent to 31 per cent.
Transportation has wider ramifications impacting the nature of expansion of the city, the economic viability of businesses and the quality of life of residents, say experts.
According to the Comprehensive Transportation Study of the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA), levels of suspended particulate matter (SPM) in the city range from 274 to 1,470 mg/cubic metre, which is much higher than the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) prescribed limit of 200 mg/cubic metre. It goes on to say that about 70 per cent of the pollution load is vehicular.
Transit-oriented development
Pointing out that there must be a greater push towards transit-oriented development, a professor at the Department of Transportation, Anna University, said “Land use focussed around certain strategic corridors can slowly emerge as a more sustainable pattern of development.”
While the per capita trip rate (average number of trips per person per day) was 1.28 in 1992, it had risen to 1.6 by 2008. The average trip distance has also increased significantly. The pace of growth in transportation needs can be seen by the fact that 1.6 was the figure projected for 2016 in the draft Second Master Plan.
Disincentives
Transport Commissioner S.Machendranathan said that apart from upgrading public transport infrastructure, rules have to be evolved to make the use of private vehicles expensive. “Some of the proposals are restricting entry of private vehicles into central business districts, enforcing huge parking fees and heavily restricting on-street parking. Imposing a green tax and earmarking it as urban transport fund to be used only for upgrading public transport facilities is also a suggestion.”
However, V.Thamizh Arasan, head of the Division of Transportation Engineering IIT-Madras, said the greatest disincentive for personalised transport is a fast, reliable public transportation system. “The problem with the MRTS and the proposed Metro is there is no review of travel demand during the project stage. Public transportation can be reliable and profitable like the Ahmedabad BRTS or the Bangalore bus transit system.”
