Commute

I was born and brought up in Mumbai but am currently based in Bengaluru. So traffic jams do not deter me from reaching my destination. But Bengaluru’s traffic issues seem to be different in some respects. To understand better why it happens and what it is like to be stuck in Bengaluru’s traffic jam, I decided to travel through Iblur Junction at the peak-morning-office hours by two different modes of commute: a two-wheeler and a BMTC bus. The Iblur Junction is the main connecting point between the Ambalipura-Sarjapur Road and the Outer Ring Road. Hence sees dense traffic and not…

Two-and-half months since the BMTC introduced digital passes, demand for these passes remains low. According to A V Surya Sen, Director (Information Technology) at BMTC, only 17,645 digital passes were active on June 22nd. This comes to less than 1% of BMTC's average daily ridership of 25 lakh. In pre-pandemic times, use of paper passes was common among BMTC passengers. For example, a BMTC survey of 2019 had showed that 48% of those surveyed used paper passes. It seems few have converted to digital passes. Launched on April 6th, the total number of digital passes issued so far (including expired…

Public transport in Mumbai has a reputation for providing long, arduous and uncomfortable commute, but some transport authorities in Mumbai have tried to change that. Without an iota of doubt, we can proclaim that multitasking is a common, inevitable feature of modern urban life. The pandemic has lent further credence to the fact. Instead of being alienated individuals going through the routine motion of daily travel, commuters are now looking to engage themselves to reduce distraction and enhance the enjoyability of their ride to and from the office.  Specifically, in current times, they would love to to utilise their travel…

I have been a regular commuter on Namma Metro since 2017 when Namma Metro’s phase one was inaugurated with connectivity to southwest Bengaluru. Two lines, the Purple Line** and Green Line were opened with an interchange at Majestic. I used to take the Purple Line from Mysore Road initially. Now I travel from Raja Rajeshwari Nagar to Cubbon Park/ MG Road almost daily. At the time the two metro lines became operational, the hope was that this would help reduce air pollution and congestion along with the catchment areas of these routes. Hopes that have been totally belied because of…

For the past 21 years I have used the Chennai Airport for domestic and international travels. Over the years, I have noticed many dysfunctional elements that tarnish the airport experience for many passengers. This is especially true for those who are not used to airports and the processes involved. Even as Chennai airport sees heavy footfall and connects many important destinations, the maintenance of the airport and the facilities for passengers leave a lot to be desired. When you combine all the road-blocks one encounters, the airport can sometimes appear as a ‘death-trap’, where it is extremely difficult to get…

Harshal Modi, a resident of Mumbai, has been using his scooter to travel to his factory everyday. After the state government reinstated the local trains, he hasn't switched back to using them, citing issues with last mile connectivity from stations. “It is more convenient to travel by scooter because there’s no issue of waiting for an auto to reach the station and vice versa. It takes such a long time to get an auto in Mumbai,” says Modi.  As the population of India's cities continues to develop rapidly, there has been an increase in the number of commuters making many…

This is the third in our series of Cycle2work interviews of men and women employed in diverse sectors. The series will bring you the stories of these green commuters. We hope that these stories will inspire and encourage more Bengalureans to cycle, and not drive, to work.’ Sheela Sahi works in a garment factory in Bengaluru and has been cycling to work for over three years. Cycling to work has reduced Sheela’s commute time from two hours to 30 minutes. She also feels more empowered and requests nonprofits to support her women colleagues in switching to commuting by cycle. Excerpts…

On April 24th, the popular account @RoadsOfMumbai held a poll on Twitter asking a simple question, ‘Will wrong-side driving ever end in Mumbai?’ The response was overwhelmingly negative; over 80% of respondents believed they would just have to live with it. The poll came nearly two months after the Mumbai police started a crackdown on traffic violations and road obstructions. They were particularly targeting offences of driving on the wrong side of the road and parking of defunct vehicles, ‘khataras,’ on the road. From March 6th to May 15th, the police claimed to have registered 12,390 wrong-side driving cases and…

While the pandemic saw some slump in ridership, the patronage seen by Chennai Metro has been on the rise in recent months. With all lines in Phase I and its extensions operational, the Metro saw a footfall of 1.5 lakhs on a daily basis for the month of April.  Proposed measures such as the merger of the Mass Rapid Transit System (MRTS) with the Metro could further boost connectivity in the city and create an integrated public transport system. Phase II of Chennai Metro, which will link key areas such as the IT corridor to the rest of the city,…

With Bengaluru expanding, its peripheral areas like Sarjapur and Attibele, which were once villages, are now experiencing suburbanisation. Suburbanisation has enhanced the need for good roads and related infrastructure in these areas. Plus housing demand here is leading to a change in land-use patterns and expanding urban sprawl. One of the primary effects of this process is traffic congestion.  This area falls under the jurisdiction of the Attibele Town Municipal authority, with Attibele junction being the most congested on the Sarjapur-Attibele Road. It is the meeting point of seven roads from different directions, connecting different parts of this region to…