Pune's traffic has become extremely bad in the recent years. In this post I would like to suggest some simple steps the administration or the people of Pune can take to ease the load on the roads.
No Multiple Visits
Today, people have to visit government offices multiple times to get simple things done. A better e-governance could ensure that people do not have to visit a government office more than once for the same work. Lists of documents required should be displayed clearly on major government office websites and buildings. Also, create two different queues for people with regular documents (such as Adhaar card as address proof, and age proof and identity) and another for people who have arcane documents (such as a birth certificate for proof of age, an electricity bill for proof of address and a PAN card for proof of identity).
Cater to Specifics
A lot of students go from Shivajinagar to Akurdi in a couple of local trains. Why not run special local trains from Shivaji Nagar to Akurdi during these times? Why not urge more and more college students to take these special trains instead of using two wheelers on an everyday basis? There is a train track that goes from Pune station to Hadapsar. However, there are no locals that run on this route. Why not introduce a few local trains during the peak office hours?
Signal is for Everybody
Take a class for all public transport bus drivers and tell them that they will be fined if they jump the signal even 5 seconds before the signal turns green. If the buses will stop for the correct interval, others will be discouraged to start 5 seconds too early as well. Currently the buses form a wall to hide behind for bikers to jump the signal early.
Remove BRT
How do people climbing into the bus get to the bus stop in the BRT system? By risking their life in crossing the whole road on which faster vehicles are supposed to move. How is this the right way of transporting people? Also, the BRT channel is so small that buses have to drive very slowly inside that lane and that too one behind the other. It is a ridiculous railway of buses particularly on the Swargate - Katraj and in Hadapsar area. Stop this nonsense.
Parking on Both sides
All large establishments such as malls, colleges, theaters, parks etc. should have parking on both sides of the road, or a left side subway that allows vehicles to enter the establishment from either side of the road. This will reduce drastically the number of people requiring to take a U-turn. There should be overbridges or escalators that enter directly into the establishment from the other side of the road so that people do not have to cross the road obstructing traffic.
Fine Errant Drivers Electronically
Errant drivers should be caught using cameras at all major signals. All fines should be electronically dispatched to such people. No humans involved and no place for foul play.
AC Buses for Hinjawadi
The public transportation authority in Pune should offer companies in the IT hub special air conditioned buses dedicated to carry their passengers at specified times. These buses can be run through the city to cater to other passengers during times other than the office times of the IT companies. This offers a very healthy way for transport for the relatively affluent IT crowd, offers a slightly subsidized travel for other crowd at non-peak times and therefore plays a large part in reducing the load on the roads.
Encourage Speed and Lane Discipline
Speed is extremely important for taking people and their vehicles off the road fast enough. If there are too many vehicles on the road at any one time, there is a lot of traffic. But the carrying capacity of the road is decided by both its width as well as its speed. Therefore, the smaller a road, the better it should be maintained ensuring rapid transit through that road. In complete contrast, our administration introduces speed-breakers and potholes to slow down everyone even more.
No Horns
Pune is becoming an increasingly loud city. Every horn sounded on the road causes tensions to rise, tempers to flare, and an unnecessary sense of urgency which quickens the heart rate. Horns can be avoided if people driving and people walking, both, follow discipline. Further, use of lights to indicate intent, use of mirrors to see approaching vehicles (bikes don't have mirrors in Pune; helmets are compulsory, by the way!) and using turn indicators correctly will reduce the need for sounding horns to a large extent.
Education in Schools
Today's students will become tomorrows drivers. It could help immensely if the education system teaches the students why good driving is good, why following the rules on the road leads to a better life, and why keeping a calm, cool head is the way to go on the road. It would also be useful if the students are taught about defensive and silent driving at a very early age. Instead of games that reward drifting and dangerous driving, it could be useful if the students played computer games that rewarded good driving.
