The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : PMK suggests bus rapid transit system for Chennai

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Jan 25, 2006

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

PMK suggests bus rapid transit system for Chennai

Special Correspondent

Ramadoss demands scrapping of the proposed monorail project

JUST NOT VIABLE: Members of the Pattali Makkal Katchi protesting the proposed monorail project near Memorial Hall in Chennai on Tuesday. — Photo: K.V. Srinivasan

CHENNAI: The Pattali Makkal Katchi on Tuesday urged the State Government to adopt the bus rapid transit (BRT) system to solve Chennai's public and mass transportation problem.

The BRT system, which ensures use of high quality and high capacity buses for public transport, was cheaper than the monorail system and more suited to Chennai," said PMK founder S.Ramadoss, while leading a demonstration near Memorial Hall here.

Countries such as Brazil, Indonesia and South Korea had gone for it.

He demanded that the proposed monorail project be scrapped.

Pointing out that it was proposed to cover 300 km, Dr. Ramadoss said even in industrialised nations such as Japan and United States, the coverage was much less. Considering the volume of traffic in the city, monorail would not be the answer.

He said the fleet strength of the Metropolitan Transport Corporation should be increased to 5,000. There should be a separate track for bicycles on all roads. He criticised the trend of reducing the space meant for footpaths.

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