Helping urban transport system grow sustainable

Urban transportation in India is still facing perennial financing troubles and revenue shortfall, which has been further amplified by the unprecedented Covid-19 outbreak.

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Helping urban transport system grow sustainable
Helping urban transport system grow sustainable
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Abstract

India is undergoing rapid transformation in the urban transportation sector thanks to the consistent focus of the government and its efforts on bringing in private participation through the public-private partnership (PPP) model. With the entry of private players, there has been a lot of focus on technology adoption and up-gradation, making the urban transportation sector cleaner, faster and greener.

The nation saw rapid growth in metro operations with some key metro projects being Kochi, Jaipur, Chennai, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Ahmedabad, Pune, Nagpur and Lucknow, while metro routes in Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata got further expanded. The government is putting a lot of focus on indigenisation through the Atmanirbhar Bharat, Make in India and Vocal for Local programmes to push indigenous technologies and capabilities. This has led to many companies such as Bharat Earth Movers Limited and Alstom, among others, manufacturing metro coaches in India. There are several companies such as ABB and Mitsubishi Electric, which are manufacturing various metro components in India. Ample domestic capacity is also being developed for the construction of civil structures.

In August 2017, the government approved a new metro rail policy, which basically provides guidelines for the development of urban transport systems across the cities in a responsible manner, considering multimodal integration, last-mile connectivity, selection of the most suited urban transit system, creation of the UMTA and financing aspects. The policy has not only accelerated metro rail implementation but has also helped in creating an ecosystem for improving the urban mobility scenario in the country. Currently, over half a dozen cities where metro projects are operational have set up UMTAs, notified transit-oriented development policy and have a comprehensive mobility plan in place for overall improvement in urban mobility. Identification of urban transport projects under the NIP, development of standard specifications for MetroNeo, MetroLite and water metro, standardisation and the local content stipulation under the Make in India programme are some of the other initiatives that are helping strengthen the development of the urban transport sector in the country.

 

Technology embedded Services ensuring timely completion of projects

 

The Indian metro system today is at par with any other metro system in the world in terms of digitalisation and technology adoption. Whether it is the signalling system (CBTC system), modern lightweight aluminium built rolling stock, IoT-based asset management system or the adaptation of BIM, digitalised passenger information systems, fare collection systems including proximity smart card/QR-based ticketing systems enhancing passenger convenience, all sectors in metro railways in India are technologically enhanced and upgraded. The adoption of intelligent transportation systems is the need of the hour to improve traffic congestion and help reduce carbon emissions. It is also noticed that the government is leaning towards future-forward technology tools which include artificial intelligence (AI), IoT, 5G internet connectivity and cloud engineering. All these technological capabilities and their adoption have the potential to turn around the entire landscape of urban transportation.

  1. As part of the digitalisation initiatives, 5D building information modelling (BIM), along with a system analysis program, is being incorporated on a .NET platform for a seamless management information system experience. The automatic fare collection (AFC) gates at the metro stations are another example of how technology can facilitate commuter movement. Besides, the mobile application caters to ticketless commuting. For e.g. the Nagpur Metro will also be incorporating digital kiosks and incident management systems soon. It is further looking to implement the .NET platform and form a board of stakeholders from the railways, metro railway organisations and other urban transport bodies in order to provide uniformity across India and ensure faster decision-making to help speed up execution works.
  2. Over the years, there has been a shortening of the construction period of metro rail projects in the country, in some cases to even under three years. One of the main reasons for quicker execution is the advancement in construction technology. Most of the metro rail construction work is now occurring off-site, using extensive mechanisation and digital tools for monitoring and control. An Integrated project management system comprising 5D BIM solutions, AI/machine learning-based digital dashboards, drone-based solutions and IoT/sensors are being deployed effectively in most of the metro rail projects which are under construction.  For operations and maintenance (O&M) as well, new technologies such as advanced analytics for predictive maintenance, IoT-based devices for condition-based maintenance and a digital asset management system are being explored.  Technologies such as the national common mobility card, journey planners and MaaS are helping in integrating various modes of transport and providing seamless connectivity to passengers.
  3. The Lucknow Metro rail network is one of the best examples of technology and advancement. Project monitoring is being done with the best tools available. The entire team works on one platform and interface, otherwise it would have been impossible to complete these projects. UPMRC has also brought in BIM technology. 3D BIM is being used and may move on to 5D depending on the cost and time factors in the future. This is bringing in a lot of improvement in project design, building an interface between different systems and cable routings. Signalling is advanced and we have used a communication-based train control system. In addition, we have opted for an AFC system with smart cards and quick response codes.

In general, metro operations are undergoing a digital revolution with internet of things enabling onboard sensors to deliver real-time analysis and monitoring, automating maintenance and ensuring that a trains’ location is always 100 per cent accurate. Drones are already in use for identifying problems, assisting maintenance workers and providing additional security by offering a view of trespassers or other threats. To overcome the challenges of cost and time, virtual reality is being used to create a 3D model of a product, test its efficiency virtually and then bring it to market. The concept of driverless trains is gaining traction. A driver-free network can be more predictable, maximise capacity and remove the element of human error. Implementation of the emerging technology for common ticketing through a national common mobility card will make transport systems more accessible, sustainable and seamless. Other trends include:

  • Equipping ticket counters with a unified payment interface with static quick response (QR) codes for digital payments.
  • Developing mobile applications to facilitate smart card recharges and enabling QR code ticket at metros.
  • Equipping ticket counters with point-of-sale machines at stations to enable credit and debit card payments.
  • Collaborating with Google Maps for providing train schedules and train frequency to save travel time.
  • Collaborating with popular mobile applications for smart card recharges and QR code tickets. BMRCL for instance, is in the process of interacting with various other modes of transport to promote the concept of mobility-as-a-service (MaaS).

 

In an area already developed without a sustainable planning approach, retrofitting infrastructure becomes a tedious task, involving a huge cost for land acquisition, resettlement and rehabilitation. Governments have to offer attractive incentives to property owners and developers to come forward for land pooling along the development area and promote the concept of transfer of development rights. There are multiple agencies involved in land development in or around the transit-oriented development corridor; therefore, capacity building of persons involved in the implementation of TOD and multimodal integration plans need to be taken care of, to bring them on the same platform. Further, multiple agencies are involved in road-based transport, leading to delays in implementation. Hence, there is a need for creating a single agency for all road-based transport for effective coordination, similar to the UMTA.

 

Metrolite & Metro Neo as new options to traditional metro systems

 

Urban transportation in India is still facing perennial financing troubles and revenue shortfall, which has been further amplified by the unprecedented Covid-19 outbreak. While the situation is normalising post the mass vaccination across the globe, financial stability for operators is still some way away. Fare box collections are nowhere adequate to recover project costs. Another issue affecting the sector is delayed land acquisition, which continues to be a spanner to project implementation. The sector is also facing first- and last-mile connectivity issues, which dissuade people from availing of MRTSs. An integrated body of UMTA is the need of the hour. India needs to devote much of its efforts towards setting up empowered UMTAs at the state and city levels to give its urban residents a better quality of life.

There are financial concerns as these projects require heavy capital investments and significant O&M costs. Most of the metro rail projects in the country do not even make operational profits. That said, the financial sustainability challenges can be overcome through alternative technological options, project structuring to bring private investments, regulatory measures, emphasis on micro mobility, improving last-mile connectivity, focus on transit-oriented development, land value capture mechanisms and adopting measures that disincentivise private motorised transport

 

  1. India’s urban transport sector is steadily taking the shape of a system rather than loosely connected modes. The advent of two new technologies – MetroLite and MetroNeo – to provide metro rail systems at a much lower cost with the same experience, convenience and safety in Tier II cities and peripheral areas of Tier I cities, will provide a fillip to the urban transportation system across the country. Another revolution in rail connectivity in the offing is the regional rapid transport system (RRTS). This modern transit facility would enhance connectivity and boost economic development along the corridors and adjacent regions. Being a high-priority programme of the government, the future outlook of the urban transportation sector in India remains bright.
  2. The urban transport sector will continue to evolve, with an emphasis on adopting cost-effective mass transit solutions such as MetroLite and MetroNeo in smaller cities or as feeders to the main metro systems in large cities. There will also be increasing consideration for comprehensive and seamless mobility, transit-oriented development and joint physical asset creation of multiple transport projects with urban transport being the focal point. Recently, comprehensive O&M of the RRTS line from Delhi to Meerut has been handed over to a private concessionaire. It is expected that O&M of a greater number of metro rail systems will be completely outsourced to the private sector in the immediate future. This is expected to improve the service quality and efficiency and bring down the overall O&M cost.

 

Conclusion

The urban transport sector has been growing at a faster pace in India in recent times, with about 750 km of metro rail line under operation across 19 cities, with 70 per cent of the network having become operational after 2014. Over the past few years, approximately 40 per cent of the total budget of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs has been allocated consistently for the implementation of metro rail projects across the country. In line with Vision 2025 for urban public transport, there is a continued push to make MRTS and bus connectivity available within 800 metres of homes in more than 50 cities, for which Rs 5,733.66 billion is planned to be invested under the National Infrastructure Pipeline (NIP). The urban transport sector has also been identified as one of the seven engines of growth under the PM Gati Shakti programme to achieve nation-wide integrated infrastructure development as per the central government’s vision.

 With increasing government focus, the urban transport sector has witnessed rapid growth in recent times. As part of its commitment to urban transportation, the Government of India has introduced the ambitious PM Gati Shakti-National Master Plan for a Multi-modal Connectivity mega project, which would lead to massive government spending on roads, railways, highways, ports and public transport. With a clear focus on infrastructural reforms, this is going to be the key driver in accelerating India’s economy. The mass rapid transit system (MRTS) in India has taken a substantial leap with 791 km of operational metro rail network. Vision 2025 for urban public transport envisages MRTS being made available in more than 50 cities in India by 2025. The government has taken up metro rail feasibility studies across cities with over 2 million population. With over 1,000 km of metro and regional rapid transit system projects currently under various phases of development, very soon, 27 Indian cities will have operational metro services.

On the policy front, the Metro Rail Policy, 2017 advises cities to develop a comprehensive mobility plan under a statutory body, Unified Metropolitan Transport Authority (UMTA). The setting up of UMTAs is currently at various stages in 12 states where the metro rail network has either commenced or is under construction.

Growing urbanisation has necessitated urban mobility solutions to prevent pollution and traffic-related problems. India’s urban transport sector has seen significant growth in the past few years owing to key initiatives such as the metro rail policy, increased financial assistance to metro rail projects, and promotion of indigenous technologies and capabilities. New modes of transit, MetroNeo and Metrolite, are emerging as potential and viable transit systems for Tier II and III cities. The sector is witnessing rapid adoption of technologies such as contactless ticketing, advanced signalling systems, driverless operations, and building information modelling. Metro operators are also actively looking at augmenting non-fare revenues and improving first- and last-mile connectivity.

 

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