Janmarg is a step towards a greener Ahmedabad

Mahesh Pandya
Not long ago, Ahmedabad was declared a mega city. It is surely a great city in many aspects, but is unfortunately a very polluted and unhealthy city. It is shocking that in a rapidly developing city with a booming economy, the importance of a clean environment is largely ignored.

Ahmedabad is covered by a constant cloud of smog and many people suffer from respiratory problems because of the continuous exposure to harmful exhaust fumes. Many trees are cut down for the ever-increasing space needed for new constructions and infrastructure, thus worsening air pollution. In such circumstances, the introduction of the Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS) can only be welcomed.

 The BRTS, named the ‘Janmarg’ by chief minister Narendra Modi, will be unveiled on August 15. The aim of the Janmarg is to provide a safe, comfortable and quick means of public transport, which, according to the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC), “will create a sense of pride in Ahmedabad’s citizens for their city.”

Whether these aims will be fulfilled or not will become clear only once the buses start running since there has unfortunately not been much space for public enquiries and/or suggestions for the project design. At this point, I would like to make some preliminary comments on the potential advantages and disadvantages of the system.

As I mentioned before, the Janmarg project will contribute to a more sustainable transit system. First of all, the special track designed will bypass obstacles presented by cyclists, cows and autorickshaws on normal roads.

This will make the BRTS quicker than other modes of transport and will reduce the incidence of accidents. Another consequence of the special track is that the buses will not need to use horns, which will increase the comfort of the passengers and people around.

However, one aspect of the Janmarg project disappoints me: the buses will use EURO-IV compliant diesel. Such buses are an improvement over the other existing buses, but there is a better option for the environment. I believe the buses should use compressed natural gas (CNG). Vehicles running on CNG emit little or no fine particulate, sulphur dioxide and carbon monoxide.

Another advantage is that CNG vehicles produce less noise than diesel vehicles. It is a shame that our municipal corporation is putting such a great effort to improve the transport system in the city, but is not taking advantage of this to use cleaner fuel for buses as well.

Another thing that may cause problems is the greater distances between bus stops. People here are not very keen on walking too much and this may lead them to choose autorickshaws or city buses over the Janmarg. Therefore, I would like to urge everyone to choose what is not only convenient, but also best for the environment.

In brief, through the Janmarg project, you can take part in reducing climate change, simply by making use of this facility as much as you can. The harmful effect that our scooters and four-wheelers have on the environment significantly outweighs the effort it takes us to walk to a Janmarg bus stop instead of using private transport. The environment is from and for all of us. Therefore, it is everyone’s responsibility to preserve it.

Paryavaran Mitra