Public transport (MRTS) and the need of choice mechanism: a case of the Indian public transport

The Indian cities are growing and urbanizing rapidly, resulting in vast urban sprawls. Hence, the mobility of people is increasing, pushing the Government to develop a sustainable transport system in these cities. To achieve this goal, the Government is encouraging and developing mass rapid transit systems (MRTS) in cities. However, the goals and objectives set by the policies and Government guidelines are not met through the ongoing development process. The experiences of MRTS have raised some questions for transport experts and decision-makers in the country. These are regarding the justification for selection of technology of MRTS, the process of selection, coverage throughout the city, and affordability and acceptance by different city resident groups. According to the experts, there is a need for proper analysis and justification for the selection of any technology. This study with the objective to understand the gaps in the process of selection of technology for MRTS and associated controversies, reviews the policies, guidelines and proposals for suitable MRTS in India. The study concludes that the transport planners and decision-makers have failed to formulate a knowledge centre, as suggested in NUTP 2006 and 2014. This has been the main hurdle transfer the knowledge and experience from city to city. Additionally, the Indian policies and guidelines have failed to provide any explicit criteria to select technology of MRTS in the decision-making process. The study therefore recommends to formulate an expert mechanism/system to transfer expertise and experience from one city to another.