One of the key infrastructure elements of the upcoming smart cities is the deployment of smart mobility solutions to provide low-cost, environment-friendly and convenient options. The special purpose vehicles, formed to implement the Smart Cities Mission (SCM), have adopted a number of smart mobility initiatives such as the integration of public transportation systems, deployment of a public bicycle sharing (PBS) system, introduction of electric vehicles (EVs) and operation of the entire network via integrated command and control centres, amongst others. The cities have successfully created a well-connected as well as eco-friendly transport system, providing last-mile connectivity to citizens.
Indian Infrastructure takes a look at the city-level initiatives taken by the Surat, Bhopal and Pune smart cities in the area of smart mobility…
Surat
One of the key smart mobility initiatives by the Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC) has been towards strengthening the public transportation system in the city by integrating the bus rapid transit system (BRTS) network, the city bus system, and the high mobility corridor. The bus service system in Surat is different from conventional bus services in other cities. In conventional bus services, BRTS, city buses, and high mobility corridors work separately and are operated by separate agencies. However, the SMC has integrated the administrative, financial and infrastructure aspects of the transport system. Its BRTS and city bus network are thus complementary to each another. The city has a state-of-the-art intelligent transport management system (ITMS) which tracks, monitors and manages its entire bus fleet on a real-time basis. It provides the benefit of dynamic scheduling of the buses to cope with changes in ridership. Further, the SMC has deployed automated fare collection (AFC) and integrated fare collection system, that offer cashless transactions via mobile connectivity. Passengers can thus book tickets through a mobile phone and plan their trip with real-time information on the arrival, departure, fare and other details. The integrated system has made public transport smarter and more user-friendly. For metro operations, the municipal corporation has sanctioned detailed project reports for two corridors and work is scheduled to begin shortly. The SMC is also working towards the deployment of electric buses and has already placed an order for 150 buses. It is also encouraging the use of non-motorised transport (NMT) in the city as about 30 per cent of the trips within the city cover a distance of less than 3 km. To this end, it has developed a dedicated cycling track of about 32 km. The PBS system was implemented in the city in 2019.
Pune
The PBS system in Pune has been operational for the past three years now, providing last-mile connectivity in the city. Pune Smart City Development Corporation Limited (PSCDCL) has developed dedicated walking lanes. Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Limited, the public transport bus service provider in the city, carries about 1 million passengers, and makes about 25,000 trips. The operator makes use of an integrated command and control centre (ICCC) and ITMS to optimise the routes and transportation across the city.
Bhopal
Bhopal Smart City Development Corporation Limited (BSCDCL) has an operational BRTS, along with smart roads and dedicated cycle tracks. There are 287 buses and 16 routes in the city with around 200,000 passengers commuting daily. Further, Bhopal has 325 non-BRTS junctions and 77 BRTS bus stops. It has also launched a single mobility card and an application, Chalo, which tracks live locations of the buses and shows their arrival time on a real-time basis. Under the NMT system, BSCDCL envisaged a PBS project in 2016 for the provision of eco-friendly last-mile connectivity. At present, its PBS system is fully operational with 100 bicycle stations and 500 bicycles. The project has been taken up in phases by BSCDCL. In 2016, it set up 20 stations and deployed 100 bicycles at strategic locations in order to assess the acceptance and behavioural change of the people towards NMT under Phase I. After the completion and preparation of a detailed analysis of Phase I, it evaluated other potential locations for the second phase of the project wherein another 50 stations were set up and 200 bicycles were deployed. Subsequently, BSCDCL created a 12 km dedicated cycle track, which is 5 metres wide. Under Phase III, BSCDCL deployed the remaining 30 cycle stations and 200 bicycles. It has set up a dedicated command centre for the operation and management of the PBS system, which has been further integrated with the ICCC for real-time monitoring.
The provision of the PBS system has solved two major challenges in the city. The first is that of last-mile connectivity by covering almost the entire city via 100 stations. Second, cycle sharing has positively impacted the environment as well as the health of the citizens. Bhopal’s bike sharing system is the country’s first integrated and fully automated PBS system developed on a public-private partnership (PPP) mode.
After the success of Bhopal’s PBS system, a number of other smart cities have also adopted the model. With the help of information and communication technology components, the involvement of physical manpower at the stations has been eliminated. The operations are fully automated as the mobile application facilitates the entire process, right from unlocking the cycle to completing the journey and making the payment. BSCDCL has provided monthly rental plans and affordable rates, which has ensured consistent usage of bicycles by citizens. It also provides dedicated 24×7 support to address the concerns of users with respect to the PBS system through support staff at the command centre. The data from the system is analysed to understand travel characteristics, and shift the stations from areas with less traction to those with more traction. The integration of the bicycle command centre with the ICCC has provided data on the behaviour of the service provider as well as users.
Upcoming opportunities
While a lot has been achieved by cities under the SCM in terms of implementing smart initiatives for mobility, these cities have also learnt from successful models adopted by their counterparts, and are looking at ways to incorporate them in their own transport systems. The SMC is looking at launching electric buses under the mission. It is also strengthening its PBS system, shifting the nature of the transport system from a vehicle-oriented to pedestrian-friendly one. In the medium term, it plans to develop an intermediate transit system between metro rail and buses due to the limitations of the two transit systems. While metros cannot ensure last-mile connectivity, buses have their own limitations with respect to capacity. Pune Smart City is working towards providing an automated transport management system by strengthening its AFC systems and deploying smart cards. It is currently undertaking a project to provide last-mile connectivity to street vendors for transporting goods by connecting them to potential customers. Further, BSCDCL has replaced conventional vehicles run on coal to electronic vehicles. Energy Efficiency Services Limited has supplied 10 electric cars to Bhopal, making it the first smart city to adopt EVs. It is also planning to build charging infrastructure for EVs. At present, 50 charging stations are under installation across the city. Recognising the need for an e-bike sharing system, Bhopal Smart City plans to extend the existing infrastructure to e-bike solutions on a shared platform as a supplementary option for connectivity. The city is determined to provide a conducive environment in terms of infrastructure support and policy to encourage and enable a successful e-bike sharing system on a PPP basis. This e-bike sharing system will be an extension of the PBS and public transit systems.
The way forward
The integration and upgradation of public transport systems by these cities has come a long way in providing last-mile connectivity and making the commute flexible and comfortable for the common man. The sharing modes being adopted by these cities have brought down the cost of travel for passengers, making it more affordable. Besides, the deployment of technologies such as cashless travel and e-booking has been especially crucial to contain the spread of Covid-19. Going forward, these initiatives taken by the smart cities will help them attain energy efficiency and reduce the carbon footprint, and will lead citizens towards a more sustainable lifestyle.
Based on a panel discussion among Yogesh Khakre, Company Secretary, BSCDCL; R.J. Pandya, Deputy Municipal Commissioner, Surat Municipal Corporation; and Anirudh S., Chief Knowledge Officer, PSCDCL, at a recent India Infrastructure conference