From: Chris Zegras <czegras at MIT.EDU> Subject: [sustran] "Eco-Friendly" Bus shelters Date: Wed, 17 Jul 2002 09:51:23 -0400 X-Mailer: QUALCOMM Windows Eudora Version 5.0
http://www.gulf-news.com/Articles/news.asp?ArticleID=57694 Capital Matters: New Delhi bus shelters go eco-friendly New Delhi |By Nilima Pathak | 15-07-2002
The capital's first two eco-friendly solar power bus shelters, equipped with a rain water harvesting facility have come up on Bhairon Marg opposite Pragati Maidan in Central Delhi, marking a new phase in a city that is becoming rapidly more environmentally aware.
With a seating capacity of 26, the new bus stop provides an insight into the currently available eco-friendly technologies.
Popularising and spreading the message of water preservation, it will enable the people to see how water can be collected and used for recharging the ground water table.
Delhi Transport Corporation Manager (Civil) R.S. Ranga said, "The roof of the brightly-coloured bus stop will be used to collect rain water, which will then be transferred to the ground through a pipe and passed through a porous strata of earth to free it of all pollutants."
Thus, instead of flowing into a drain, the water will be used to recharge the ground water table.
However, Ranga warned, "The entire idea behind this is to educate the masses and let them understand and have the feel of the technology on water harvesting. But to say that the 200 ft-250 ft roof area of a bus stop will in any way contribute towards conserving water is aiming too high."
According to him, the DTC came up with this novel idea since people do not know where to get guidance on this technology.
"But that does not mean this is the only kind of bus stop that will be introduced all over Delhi now. Although we would like to have another 200 added to our list."
Another unique feature of the new bus stop is that it will have provision for solar lighting and it will be properly lit throughout the night. This is being done to spread the message that alternate sources of energy need to be tapped.
An additional factor is the use of perforated steel for providing sitting space. Ranga said, "The seats have a back rest for passenger comfort. But we have also made sure that only a genuine passenger avails of the facility and encroachers do not use the place."
Heat-proof
Although the bus shelter has a false ceiling to make it heat-proof, the official does not think that the 30-foot long roof shelter area will be broadened. Commuters have in the past complained against the lack of space under the roof as it does not provide much respite at noon or when it rains.
Planned as part of the 'Clean, green and beautiful Lutyens' Delhi' the scheme of the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) is one of the many taking shapes. Interestingly, the bus stops are being constructed on a build-operate-transfer (BOT) basis by Hindustan Construction Corporation, which will also maintain them for three years. The cost incurred is double that of the previous normal ones. But DTC is not worried.
"The cost is likely to be recovered in less than five years through commercial use of space," said Ranga.
So far, the NDMC has also renovated several bus stops in its area under the BOT. Earlier, the scheme failed to take off and had to be withdrawn because of losses. It later decided to construct bus stops itself and generate funds for their maintenance through advertisements.
From an iron bench supported on two poles and covered with an asbestos sheet, bus stops in the city have come a long way.
With an eye on outdoor advertising, there was a rethink on design, incorporating elements like back lighting. Then came the swanky new bus stops with PVC seats and glossy exteriors, perfect for mounting advertisements. Rather comfortable, people started using them as night shelters.
These were, thus, re-invented. The idea was to accommodate about 30 people in each bus stop. But this time the mission was also to discourage sleepers and vandals. The new ones did away with the asbestos roof and replaced the long benches with two small seats and two bars.
The users then complained the bars were uncomfortable. Sitting on a pole with one's feet resting on another pole was not the best way to wait for a bus, they felt. The structure itself was firmly anchored with heavy-duty nuts and bolts.
The roof of the bus stop was also much higher than the older ones. All plastic elements had been eliminated because they were easily stolen.
Design wise, they met the requirement of being vandalism-proof. But complaints persisted. Users said that because of the obstructions on the road one had to wait on the road for the bus and shelters at some points were useless.
Meanwhile, road traffic experts said the DTC responsible for constructing bus stops has ignored basic features of road and traffic engineering. The road at some points is narrow and a line of bus reaches up to a roundabout, which not only obstructs traffic but also poses a great danger to pedestrians.
Ideally, experts say, the bus shelter should be 100 to 150 metres away from a flyover, an intersection or a roundabout. The Delhi Traffic Police support the claim. But the DTC officials have their reason. "Due to lack of space at certain points, it is not possible to have a bus bay everywhere," said Ranga.
-------------------------------------------------- Christopher Zegras Research Associate MIT * Laboratory for Energy & the Environment * Room E40-468 1 Amherst Street * Cambridge, MA 02139 Tel: 617 258 6084 * Fax: 617 253 8013
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