Need for Urban Transport solution- what Sky Bus Metro can offer in
environmental terms:
The Sky Bus Metro Project is a technology break-through providing a total solution to the
Urban Transport problem.
At capital cost ( Year 2003) of Rs 45 cr per km the scope for implementation of the project is
now estimated.- ( for 15000 to 30000 pphpd scalable to 90000 pphpd)
In each city having at least 20 lac population urban transport problems arise soon- because
the space within city is limited and addition of road vehicles bring down the through puts,
reduces average speed , increases pollution.
Underground metro has a larger number of safety concerns than surface rail; in addition to
being prone to derailments and capsizing, also suffers from hazardous evacuation problems in
case of fire or derailment. The solution is too expensive, four times that of Sky Bus, and takes
too much of time to implement.
Elevated light rail systems are noisy and also only as safe as a railway, prone to derailments
and capsizing , and not flexible to adopt to existing road alignments and finally, also almost
costs twice that of Sky- Bus.
As a thumb-rule if 3 lac commuters are available daily to make two journeys a day, a 10 km
route of Sky- Bus route gets financially viable- without subsidy from Govt.
Metro cities like Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad and Pune do need to
adopt this solution if future growth of city economically is to be ensured while improving quality
of life- over next century.
The probable route lengths are:
1. Mumbai …….120 km
2. Delhi….………120 km
3. Kolkata………...60 km
4. Chennai………...80 km
5. Bangalore………80 km
6. Hyderabad……..50 km
7. Pune……………50 km
This adds up to 560 km with an investment of Rs 25,200 cr.
The systm will replace existing systems based on city buses, autos, taxis and even a large
number of two wheelers within city area.
However the additional power requirement of 100 to 150 MW per city has to be augmented-
preferably by location-independent nuclear power to protect against inflation in energy
charges. Rs 5000 cr will have to come from NPC for erecting and operating these plants.
Environmental Benefits:
Vehicles in metro areas contribute 70% of CO , 50% of HC, 30 to 40% of Nox ,30% of SPM,
and 10% of SO 2 of total pollution in the cities. ( Ministry Of Environment and Forests
1995).
Typicaly for Kolkata city , the quantum of pollution because of vehicles in the city is as under:
TDP ( tonnes per day)
Particulate 7.7
Carbon monoxide 175.6
Sulphur Dioxide 26.2
Nitrogen Oxide 12.9
Hydro Carbon 18
Almost 70% pollution in city is caused by vehicles. Dangerous levels of pollution levels are
reached in the city. West Bengal Pollution Control Board gives figures of 820,000 road vehicles
in the city , with 4500 further vehicles being added monthly.
According to World Bank report,(1996), Mumbai’s air pollution levels particles smaller than 10
microns ( PM 10) were much higher than standards set by the World Health Organisation.
Maximum values are SIX times the standards. Same is with nitrogen oxides emissions. The
vehicles numbering more than a million, and with density of 500 per sq.km is heading very fast
to a very serious crisis. About 69% pollution is due to vehicles.
In urban areas the problem is compounded further over and above the density and numbers of
vehicles, by the inefficient driving cycle- which increases both fuel consumption per vehicle as
well as emissions.
The CARB ( California Air Resources Board ) estimates that at 8 kmph HC emissions are 23
times greater, CO emissions are 13 times greater, and NOx emissions are about 4 times
greater than at 32 kmph ( Federal Urban Driving Schedule average speed). At city-traffic
speeds much higher emissions occur
The Urban driving cycle includes approximately 18% idle, 39.7% accelerating, 22.7% time
decelerating at close throttle, 12% time decelerating under power and only 7.6% time at
steady state speed. Periods of acceleration and deceleration produce extremely high exhaust
emissions, and time at idle produce emissions with no benefit of distance being covered. So
cities with routes where one cannot travel at more than 15 kmph to 20 kmph average speeds-
account for dangerous levels of pollution as well as inefficient fuel burning costing the nation
dearly.
Assuming a total of 10 million vehicles for the above mentioned Urban Agglomerations, each
consuming 5 litres of fuel a day , on average about 50 million litres of fossil fuel is consumed –
adding to that much pollution. Almost 75% of this goes for public transport like buses, taxis and
autos. If alternate public transport means are provided, like Sky Bus Metro, we may save this
fuel every day.
This amounts to about Rs 500 million a day of fuel bill savings- in terms of imports!
Or annually, about Rs 15000 cr – while total import bill is of the order of Rs 60000 cr.
So an investment of about Rs 25000 cr in Sky Bus can give a saving of Rs 15000 cr in fuel
import bill- recurring annually as also, catapult all our cities to international standards of air
quality.
But additional power generation for the cities at the rate of 100 to 150 megawatts for each city
has to be provided for.
Whether this additional power for each Urban agglomeration is drawn from existing grid supply
or plan for captive power plant – will have to be examined.
In summary :
• Over next 5 years invest Rs 25000 cr to install Sky Bus Metros
• Allocate Rs 5000 cr for additional captive power or augmentation projects
• Then start saving Rs 10000 cr per annum in import bills for fuels
• Almost prevent spewing of 1750 tonnes of Carbon emissions per day!
• Provide air-condition service to people at hardly 50 ps/ km, which if properly structured,
can even become virtually free or cost less than 15 ps per km.
For the same performance, Sky Bus Metro costs only 30% as compared to Underground metro
like Delhi Metro, and costs only 50% as compared to Elevated rail systems.