Pasumai Thaayagam has organized a half-day "Seminar on Public Transport Systems for Chennai" The Seminar was be held on 25th February 2006 – Saturday – 3.30 pm to 07.00 pm. at IMAGE Auditorium, MRC Nagar, R.A.Puram, Chennai – 28 (Ph: 2493 4638). Dr. Anbumani Ramadoss, Honorable Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare, Prof. Dinesh Mohan, Professor and Coordinator, Transportation Research and Injury Prevention Programme, I.I.T. New Delhi, Prof. T. Anantharajan, Former Professor, Anna University, Mr. M. G. Devesagayam, Sustain, Dr. S. Janakarajan, MIDS Mrs. Shoba Iyer, CAG and many other environmentalists participated.
For more information contact:
pasumaimail@yahoo.co.in (or) 044 –2817 2120, 94443 44331
PASUMAI THAAYAGAM (Green Mother Land),
No. 9,(old No: 5), Lynwood Lane,
Mahalingapuram, CHENNAI -600 034.
Tel: 044 – 2817 2120
Fax: 044 – 2817 2122
Cell: 94443 44331
www.p-t.in
Transport in Chennai
Chennai (formerly Madras) is the urban primacy of Tamil Nadu. Chennai Metropolitan Area (CMA) covers an area of 1177 sq. kilometers. CMA had a population of 5.7 millions in 1997 and it has increased to 7 million now. The total number of motor vehicles in Chennai has increased from 144,282 in 1984 to 1,674,185 in 2005. Between year 1992 and 2005 the number of motorized two wheelers increased from 433,046 to 1,266,114 and the number of motor cars has increased from 122,531 to 301,128. About 450 vehicles are registered every day in Chennai. That means 13,000 vehicles in a month and 160,000 a year. This trend has created many problems like environmental pollution, noise, traffic fatalities and injuries, congestion, and mobility problems. The majority of the city people use public transport, bicycles and pedestrian paths – but these modes are totally neglected in Chennai.
While the personalized motorized modes had increased manifold over the years, the growth in fleet of buses is abysmally poor. The compound growth rate of bus fleet that was of the order of 9 percent during 1970-80 had reduced to 6 percent during 1980-90 was about 4.2 percent for the period 1990-2000 and it is seen to be static now. The total number of buses in Chennai is 2773; out of these 1294 buses are more then 8 years old, that means Chennai has 1500 buses only. The passenger growth has decreased from 4,300,000 in 1998 to 3,300,000 in 2005.
There are no segregated lanes for non-motorist transport and safer pedestrian facilities.
Pasumai Thaayagam demands:
(1) improved public transport – i.e. at least 5000 buses (with 3500 new buses), traffic priority for buses, and possibly Bus Rapid Transit,
(2) provision of improved rights of way for pedestrians and bicyclists,
(3) better air quality.
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