Journalism of Courage
Having faced flak over poor implementation of Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS) on the pilot route,the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC),after setting a target of introducing it on major city roads by the year-end,is set to take up branding and public outreach programme for smooth,effective operation of the public transport service.
In a contract signed with the project consultant,the PMC had made provisions for taking up branding and public outreach programme for the BRTS. The BRTS will soon be introduced on various city roads and the civic administration has started preparations for the same. Thus,the PMC has urged the consultant to take up branding and public outreach programme of the project as per the contract, said a civic officer.
He said,The awareness created by the programme would help in making citizens give up their opposition on implementation of BRTS. There are many misconceptions about the project and citizens have reservations regarding the benefits of BRTS that can only be removed through the public outreach programme.
As part of the programme,a detailed presentation of executing BRTS on city roads was made for leaders of political parties in the PMC and a similar one to legislators from the city. There is a need to reach to the common citizens and convince them of the benefits of BRTS and it should be done before the project is executed, he said.
To start with,the PMC has decided that the BRTS would be introduced on Alandi Road and Nagar Road,which are wide enough for creating dedicated routes. The administration has also started removing the gaps in dividers that were made for each lane connected to the main road. Efforts are also being taken to ensure safe passage for pedestrians who cross the busy roads that will have BRTS.
Prashant Inamdar of Pedestrians First said the NGOs working in the transport field had been insisting on the public outreach programme for BRTS but the administration was not taking it seriously. The PMC is now asking the consultant to do the job but it wont yield satisfactory results as they can only offer technical expertise for the project. The public outreach can only be done effectively with the help of citizens groups or those reaching out to the masses on a regular basis, he said.
Citizens groups cannot undertake public outreach programme on their own owing to the expenses involved,said Inamdar. The administration or consultant,along with citizens groups,can make it more effective and get desirable results or the entire programme would be a waste of time.
Last year,city-based organisation Parisar had organised a public awareness campaign on BRTS in PMC and PCMC.
