Mitigation / Adaptation

Social and environmental benefits

Potential for scaling-up and replication

Ahmedabad is reaping benefits in the form of faster and safer commuting, mitigation in impact of air pollution and creating an overall positive impact on urban development.

The  BRT system has already shown several mitigation impacts. For example, 20 to 22 per cent of the commuters have moved from using their motorcycles to the bus. With an average trip length on the bus of 7km, this translates into a saving of almost 200,000 vehicle kilometres per day (5,000,000 per month).

The monthly surveys also show that 65 per cent of the people who use Janmarg walk to and from the bus station. Typically, these trips are between 0.2km to 1.5km. This also translates into reduction of vehicle travel.                           

Janmarg now operates over a 45km network. This is expected to increase  to 135km over the next two years. The system is expected to carry over 500,000 passengers by the end of 2012 and over 700,000 passengers by the end of 2014. This would translate into vehicle mileage savings of 750,000km by 2012 and 1,000,000km by 2014.

Janmarg has been a catalyst in the rejuvenation of Ahmedabad. The entire network has been planned in a manner that ensures that almost all destinations are covered. The appeal of the system has reached previously under-served social groups. For example, the afternoon hours, which are the off-peak, have seen a rise in female travelers; almost 40 per cent of commuters in the afternoon are women.

Similarly, the widening of the BRT system with new roads and bridges has helped better connect the city, ans spurring some development. For example, part of the corridor passes through vacant former mill lands that now are being developed. This includes new housing and shopping areas for the urban poor.                             

A big factor in the success of Janmarg has been the positive role played by citizens. The Ahmedabad Municipal Council (AMC) held regular press briefings  on the planning and designing process, public exhibitions and presentations, responding to all suggestions and recommendations.

The success of the BRT system has also led to an overall improvement in the service quality of the Ahmedabad Municipal Transport Service (AMTS).  All old diesel buses with obsolete technology have been replaced with compressed natural gas buses. AMTS has added more than 900 new buses over the last four years. The routes for these buses are now being operated as feeder services for Janmarg.
 
Janmarg is now part a larger level regional plan for Ahmedabad, where transit corridors have been identified and the system is expected to have a much wider coverage. It will also be integrated with the proposed rail-based transit system. 

Since its inception, Janmarg has been a source of learning, and has been visited by representatives from various cities across India and some international cities, which are keen on implementing their own  BRT systems.