Delhi's Urban Transportation Challenges

This assignment provides a comprehensive review of Delhi's urban transportation system, highlighting the challenges faced by the city. It includes an analysis of various studies, articles, and reports that discuss the issues with Delhi's public transport, such as last-mile connectivity, poor bus services, and the impact of private vehicles on traffic congestion. The assignment also explores potential solutions, including efficient public transport policies, sustainable urban transport plans, and the role of social and economic costs in welfare maximization of mobility choice.

QUALITY OF URBAN TRANSPORT IN DELHI 1
Quality of Urban Transport in Delhi
Student’s Name
Institution Affiliation
Date

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ENN 515 TQM Group Report - 2018
Annex B
The following certificate is to be provided in the team report after the title page.
Student Certificate
Each student as listed in the table certifies that they and each other member of the team
worked equitably and diligently on the research, preparation and submission of the report.
This is part of your peer review.
The signature also certifies that this is their original work for this course and has not
been presented for assessment in any other course or as part of any workplace task.
Student Name Student Number Signature

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Executive summary
The recent economic growth and rapid population growth witnessed in developing
economies have had a huge impact on the growth of large cities such as Delhi located
in India. Coupled with Delhi’s rapid spatial expansion in the last 25 years, urban sprawl
has been a major motive for increased travel. The projections for vehicle fleet indicate
that there will be more than 13 million vehicles by 2020 in Delhi (Kokaz & Rogers,
2014). The management and planning of such a huge fleet with regards to the
expanding transport sector will be a hurdle that needs to be overcome. The choices and
options made now will have lasting impacts well ahead in the mid-century. The rapid
growth rate in the transport sector and emissions from automobiles have been the
primary source of air pollution in urban centres. Most urban centres in India such as
Delhi are already grappling with air pollution challenges that could be exacerbated if
growth witnessed in the transport sector is managed inappropriately. The plans adopted
for the transport sector have to be designed in a way that they can accommodate large
increases in travel demand and have to focus on the movements by individuals and not
vehicles if the transport system is to be sustainable. Thus, a mathematical model that
was developed and aimed at estimating a transportation mix that would generate
optimal results with regards to the estimated passenger-km demand while meeting
environmental goals, reducing levels of congestion and improve efficiencies based on
system and fuel factors. This can be achieved by evaluating a variety of policy options
at the maximum welfare from transport. The results illustrate that buses will remain to
satisfy most passengers from the transport segment in many years to come, thus,
planning done with regards to improving the operation of the bus service is critical.

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Table of Contents
Executive
summary…………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………3
1.0Introduction…………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………….5
2.0Literature
Review…………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………….6
3.0Data
collection………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………….7
4.0Safety, comfort and time
accuracy……………………………………………………………………………………………….
8
5.0ISO
9000……………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………15
6.0Lessons from Brisbane’s Public
transport……………………………………………………………………………………18
7.0Solutions
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………20
8.0Recommendations…………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………….23
9.0Conclusion……………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………….29
References................................................................................................................. 32

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1.0 Introduction
The burgeoning needs of the public as a result of economic and social
development have led to a rise in the demand for transport facilities (Singh, 2012).
Taking a close look at New Delhi in India, local transit routes are majorly operated by
the government and transport corporations with affiliations to local authorities in
providing bus services in metropolitan cities. The transport system in New Delhi is
facing pressure due to increased population in the city and intensified the level of
industrial and commercial activities (Singh, 2016). In one of the studies that were
conducted it was revealed that there is an enormous increase of private and
intermediate transport facilities due to the limitations associated with the public
transport.
Moreover, it has been pointed out that public transportation fails to be
complemented with other modes of transport leading to most commuter delays that

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result in dissatisfaction, poor service delivery, and reduced standards and
environmental pollution among other things. Given the above-stated circumstances, the
research recommends that public transport must offer efficient services if it is to satisfy
and improve customer satisfaction. There is an absolute need for measuring and
monitoring the operation of the services that are offered by the transportation agencies
in New Delhi due to the ongoing concerns and the attention given to the public transport
as part of the urban transport system. Transport agencies need to measure and
evaluate their performance with regards to safety, accessibility, service efficiency and
financial effectiveness. The best way that transportation agencies can meet the needs
and demands of today’s clients is to have a replacement of the Taylor approach with
Total Quality Management (TQM). The implementation of TQM is not always easy and
smooth during the transition. However, due to the change in global affairs, transport
organizations have to challenge the conventional approaches or risk facing
obsolescence.
2.0 Literature review
TQM is a fundamental system that aims at ensuring institution-wide participation
during planning and implementation of a continuous process aimed at the improvement
that ensures customers’ expectations are exceeded. The concept of total quality control
among the Japanese has come to be TQM (Metri, 2006).The U.S. Navy crafted the
name Total Quality Management in 1985.It is since then that TQM gained popularity
and widely used in many organizations specifically the manufacturing industry
Total quality management in urban transport entails focusing on strong
commitments aimed at providing quality transport service, encouraging and vouching for

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learning skill (Metri, 2006). It also entails motivating workers to take pride in their efforts
in delivering quality services supports a customer-oriented transport service legacy of
continuous improvements that inculcates engagements to meet and exceed customer
needs and preferences; green transport system and safety environment among other
things.
According to Deming, TQM involves a fourteen-point process in developing an
institutional atmosphere where the statistical techniques are effective (Metri, 2006).
The 14 points purport to enhance robust management engagements to good quality,
process design and continuous search for and eliminating errors related to quality
(Metri, 2006). Also, according to Deming, TQM involves embracing a purchasing policy
that stresses on quality as opposed to the cost. Further, the TQM model is designed to
eliminate all hindrances to employee involvements in teamwork. The models stress the
role of effective product design and quality information systems.
3.0 Data collection and analysis
The report employed a variety of sources of data collection. The first source entailed
observing the current situation of urban transport in Delhi based on information that had
been provided earlier. Also, interviews with various people in different departments were
important in shading light on critical matters pertaining the transport system in Delhi.
Data collection entailed a three-stage process that included case studies from previous
studies, observations and interviews.
3.1 Observations

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Qualitative research recognizes participative observation as an important method of
collecting data and vital in gathering an authentic opinion into the internal processes. In
this report, participative observation has been employed on many occasions to draw a
realistic view of the current situation. In this report, participative observation is
conducted by the researcher who acts as an observer, that was extended through
asking questions that are relevant after observation.
The researcher began with observations as the initial source of data. The researcher
has been involved in current issues of urban transport. Notes from observations have
been archived to revert to them when the need arises. The limitation of this method of
data collection is the fact that the researcher could only upgrade the notes only when
informed about meetings in advance. Meetings that happened suddenly left no chance
to archive such meetings and were thus excluded in data collection.
3.2 Interviews
Interviews have linked to being the most effective instruments of data collection,
particularly in case studies. Interviews, however, fail to provide a realistic picture.
Interviews involve information about views and opinions by people that tend to be
subjective rather than provide an authentic view of what took place and what people do
in the process. This limitation was taken into account and the researcher instrument
actions to overcome this limitation were taken into account by taking more interviews
and selecting core participants. Structured and semi-structured interviews were
employed in current analysis to shed light and understanding of the problems in urban
transport and potential solutions to such problems.

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4.0 Safety, Comfort and accuracy of time of Public transport in Delhi
4.1 Safety
The December 2012 and the increase in the number of rape cases among Uber
operators are only some of the many crimes of such kind that have continuously raised
an alarm on the poor state of the public transport in New Delhi (Gosami & Pillai, 2016).
However, the situation only deteriorates with time. For instance, the DTC bus network is
the most commonly used transport system used in Delhi as it is reported to harbour
approximately 4.5 million passengers on a daily basis. However, it is shocking as only
less than 5% of the 4100 DTC buses have surveillance gadgets making it appear as if
no safety mechanism has been implemented by the company. In 2014, the DTC made
efforts that saw 200 buses installed with CCTV cameras that were non-Wi-Fi serving as
an ongoing project. However, two years later, the number of buses with CCTV has not
increased.
The Metro, on the other hand, is seen as a lone safe mode of transport, however,
due to the absence of last-mile connectivity, the network has hobbled. Most bus stations
are deserted after 9 pm and feeder bus facilities that link the Metro regions to residential
places that are far-flung are either few or non-existent. In one of the studies that were
led by Safetipin, an app for auditing spaces in public transport revealed that women who
are located in areas such as Gurgaon stations found such areas unsafe majorly due to
poor and feeble last-mile connectivity.
The 500-meter region located in IFFCO Chowk was ranked as the most unsafe
region. The lack of a safe public transport has made women handle matters in their own

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way. One of the women, an IT expert revealed that she had a section in her handbag
where she hid her safety gear that entailed pepper spray, a knife and a spotlight.
The AAP government gave assurances of its frantic efforts of deploying marshals
in buses so as to keep the cases of sexual harassment manageable, however, the
development has continued at a snail’s pace. Currently, only 2700 marshals have been
deployed in the buses out of which 1000 are home security details and 1700 are
volunteers of civil defence which is startling as the required figure is 8300.
The lack of enough marshals for the entire network has led to the marshals being
deployed on a rotational basis. Most marshals are deployed in the evening and in the
odd hours. In one of the tender that was floated entailed a deal that could see more
than 400 security details for the 200 buses has led to a tepid response.
However, the situation on the ground indicates that lack of adequate training
might not be the solution to the existing problem. For instance, Raj Kishore who
happens to be a marshal is a mechanic at DTC who is aged 54 years and is
accustomed to the duty assigned to him on the 604 DTC route plied by the bus states
that his primary objective during the eight-hour shift is not to encounter any altercations.
He states that his children tell him most often that he should attend his duty without
getting into any kind of trouble. He adds that at his age, an attempt to fight the hooligans
might jeopardize his life.
The DTC has not only deployed home security details and volunteers from the
civil defence but has also employed more than 300 mechanical staff that are
approaching retirement.one of the ladies that was interviewed was expressing her

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worrying concern on one of the marshals deployed during a night shift. She stated that if
someone tried to attack the aged marshal she would have to lead her hand and assist
the marshal in dealing with the attacker though it is the marshal that should protect her.
The special buses that are designed to ferry ladies and ply on roads in the city
are not enough as there are only 25 buses of that kind and each bus just makes one trip
per day. Shockingly, the number of places that are labelled as dark spots are poorly lit
with street lighting, yet such areas are more than 250 in Delhi. One of the police officials
interviewed expressed his fears that the number of locations keeps changing, however,
in any day of the week, the number of regions that are poorly lit never goes below the
200 thresholds.
Also, the Delhi Transport Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited
(DTIDCL) has been requested to provide adequate lighting at Bus Queue Shelters and
the police are tasked with deploying a policeman at such designated areas. However,
that too has been poorly implemented.
According to a psychologist who is also a trustee of the Manas Foundation,
patriarchy and the values tied to it are deeply embedded in the general consciousness.
Diversified shades of it are found across all groups in a society and drivers are thus not
to be left out. In one of the sessions attended by HT, drivers were involved in role-
playing and narration of stories in revealing that gender roles and patriarchy not only
impacts on women but also men.
In another interview, a participant who wanted to remain synonymous stated that
apart from having his attitude change for his women passengers, his attitude towards

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his children and wife changed after participating and attending the session. The
participant added that the drivers were busy becoming men that are expected as per the
current world forgetting to become human. He stated that all problems can be solved if
women are treated as equals. He concluded that women do not need protection from
men, they only do not need to be troubled.
4.2 Comfort
According to the surveys conducted, passengers have expressed their views of
Delhi Metro as the comfiest mode that commuters use in Delhi (Hindu Business Line,
2013). The survey included more than 80,000 respondents during the week of
Customer Satisfaction that ran from mid-July towards the end of July in more than 20
Metro stations that have been reported having the highest record of ridership (The
Hindu Business Line, 2013). The commuters who participated in the survey rated
DMRC as having the highest comfort with 7 out of 10 and its customer care was ranked
at 7.3 and was closely followed by information dissemination at 7.3 (The Hindu
Business Line, 2013). Surveys were conducted on 8 crucial dimensions of Metro
operations and each dimension was composed of the weekly theme of the survey. The
topics that were addressed included availability, information, customer care and safety
and security and the commuter linked aspects that existed beyond the metro station.
Many subheads were developed for each of the above-mentioned dimensions the
passengers were requested to rate such services based on a scale for instance,
excellent, very good and satisfactory among others. Some of the primary subheads
entailed: modes available to DMRC system, timings with regards to first and last train,

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the frequency of trains, availability of facilities for the disabled and the aged and
availability of parking among other items.
According to the findings of the survey, it was revealed that a large number of
commuters were satisfied with the quality of service that was offered to them and Delhi
Metro was rated as very good. However, the spokesman of DMRC stated in a press
statement that DMRC will not relax based on such laurels and that DMRC will continue
serving the public with outstanding dedication and commitments and will implement
improvements whenever relevant and required. However, according to the concerns
that were raised as per the area that needed improvement was the sector of smart
cards and tokens, the condition of the roads and the issue of beggar nuisance beyond
the metro stations.
Among the respondents that participated in the survey,76 percent were males
and the rest were females. Individuals from the service sector and students were part of
the large ridership as they comprised of 63 and 30 percent of all the respondents
respectively (The Hindu Business Line, 2013). Commuters that belonged to the age
bracket of between 19 and 30 years of age formed the majority group among
respondents as they accounted for 69 percent while those belonging to the age group
between 31 and 50 years were ranked as the second largest group as they accounted
for 22 percent. Currently, the ridership of Delhi Metro has gone beyond 20 lakhs (The
Hindu Business Line, 2013).
4.3 Accuracy of time

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The success of a public transport in the city relies on the number of people that
use the services of a bus. It is estimated that approximately 40% of commuters that is
50 lakhs in Delhi travel by bus on a daily basis (Mathur, 2014). Though the number
represents an increase from the 22 lakhs as reported in a study that was conducted in
2008. Experts expressed their opinion that it was necessary to increase the number of
buses and improve ridership by raising to a noble 80% by 2020 as envisioned in the
Masterplan of Delhi (Mathur, 2014). The former director of Unified Traffic and
Transportation Infrastructure advised that Delhi requires a bus system that operates on
a high frequency and a high capacity. According to him, Delhi requires about 15000
buses by 2021 (Mathur, 2014). He also adds that bus stands should within the radius of
a walking distance that is a 5-minute distance from all regions. The bus frequency
according to him should take a maximum of 3 minutes during peak hours and 5 minutes
during the off-peak periods.
Road Inventory Data
Details of bus
route
ISBT to Mehrali Terminal
(Weekend)
ISBT to Mehrali Terminal
(Weekday)
Length 27.4 km 27.4 km
Travel Time 45 minutes to 1hr 30 min 55min to 1 hr 30 min
Number of bus
stops 29 29
Number of
inspections 6 6
Number of
Flyovers 5 5

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Friction points in Delhi

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average speed for different runs
How to improve time
efficiency
Brisbane has developed an initiative known as the managed Motorways program
and refers to an incorporated utilization of the smart technology that enables proactive
management of real-time on the Queensland transport network. The adoption of such
an initiative in Delhi’s transport system in connection with an Intelligent Transport
mechanism could assist in reducing travels that are based on stop-start, improve safety
while disseminating information on the best times and routes to travel in a particular
route.

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The assessment of Delhi by the government portrays that the city should have
more than 11,000 buses (Mathur, 2014). However, since DTC itself can operate such a
huge fleet, the state divided its fleet between DTC and cluster bus service equally and
such services are run and operated by Delhi Integrated Multi-Modal Transit
System(DIMTS). The DTC has made arrangements of purchasing more than 1300
buses that will enable it to reach its set target of operating close to 5000 buses.
However, such hopes are fading since there is lack of space where the buses get
parked and this has denied DIMTS its ability to acquire such a fleet. Despite the number
of buses increasing, the services are erratic.
Though some of the routes boast of having back-to-back buses, there are other
routes that are reported to experience the frequency of approximately 20 to 30 minutes.
The main reason for this is due to the existence of bus routes being modified based on
demand by the commuters, interference from political figures and the knowledge of
officials from DTC. The allocation of buses, however, does not rely on any scientific
study.
In another study that was conducted it revealed that the changes experienced in
bus routes that are initiated by DTC based on DIMTS route rationalization, where the
study only covered 25 routes in the pilot phase. According to the experts, they
demonstrated that reliability is a primary issue here. Delhi compared to other cities such
as Bogota and Geneva in Europe, where passengers have exact knowledge of when
the next bus arrives, the bus service in Delhi is totally unpredictable. With the exception
of the BRT corridor, more than 5000-odd bus stops lack the operational passenger

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information in Delhi. Though the DTC had shown efforts by having the buses installed
the PIS display boards, the service never saw the light in Delhi.
5.0 Use of ISO 9000 in Safety, comfort and time accuracy
ISO 9000 is a group of global standards with regards to management of quality
and assurance enhanced to help companies archive the components of quality systems
that are to be implemented to ensure continuity of an efficient quality system. They are
not tied to a particular industry and can be applied to any enterprise irrespective of the
size.
ISO 9000 assist companies in meeting the needs of customers while meeting their
regulatory requirements thus attaining constant improvement. It should be viewed as
the first step, that is the primary level of quality system and not a complete assurance of
quality.
Several sensitization programmes that have been established to cater for
women, aim at ensuring that bus, rickshaws and cab drivers are more sensitive towards
women as part of the passengers that require more attention and sensitivity. An NGO
such as Manas Foundation that has been working with drivers in ensuring that the cities
are safe for women has been facilitating awareness for drivers regularly.’Mera
imaan,mahilaon ka sammam’ has become the popular slogan that is displayed on cabs
plying in the city and also among the auto rickshaws.
The AAP government gave assurances of its frantic efforts of deploying marshals
in buses so as to keep the cases of sexual harassment manageable, however, the
development has continued at a snail’s pace. Currently, only 2700 marshals have been

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deployed in the buses out of which 1000 are home security details and 1700 are
volunteers of civil defence which is startling as the required figure is 8300.The lack of
enough marshals for the entire network has led to the marshals being deployed on a
rotational basis. Most marshals are deployed in the evening and in the odd hours. In
one of the tender that was floated entailed a deal that could see more than 400 security
details for the 200 buses has led to a tepid response.
Though there has been an increase in the number of buses and ridership, the
expectations of commuters have been failed on many occasions. The services of the
bus continue to be erratic and breakdowns are reported frequently. However, the
experts are of the belief that buses play a vital role in mobility in both big and small
cities and thus a well-managed and organized bus systems will deliver public transport
efficiently at affordable rates. In another interview with the head of transport department
at the school of planning and architecture, Mr.Sarkar expressed his concerns that there
is need to have an improved public transport with proper routing and scheduling of
buses aimed at making the public transport reliable.
The GPS devices that were installed in buses have either been damaged or were
intentionally removed by drivers or the companies that are tasked with the responsibility
of maintaining such buses. It is the availability and existence of a system that facilitates
the tracking of the movement by the bus and this makes it possible to predict the time
that is taken in reaching a particular destination. The para-transit in Delhi also requires
overhaul as there are close to 80000 auto-rickshaws and more than 20,000 taxis that
have been registered in Delhi. However, overcharging and refusal to go are the primary
problems that commuters encounter in Delhi. The commuters complain of the lack of

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proper stands for the autorickshaws and unlike in cities such as Mumbai and Kolkata, it
is illegal to flag down a taxi in Delhi. Experts express their worries and demonstrate that
there is a need for regulating autorickshaws in Delhi and the number of such
autorickshaws should be increased. Tough the Supreme court has put a cap on the
number of autos as only one lakh is required, such a law should be amended. The
frantic efforts by the department of transport to have GPS devise mandatory in
regulating the autorickshaws have seen resistance by the unions.
It is crucial to have a variety of services offered by the buses. Given the chance,
people reveal the divergent transport facilities they would want in place. However,
authorities in many scenarios offer what may be termed as the basic standard of
services by the buses. Currently, it is getting hard to gain acceptance of a good market
with just one type of product. Operators of the bus transport that operate in Indian cities
such as Delhi believe that a majority of the passengers use the same kind of commuting
trips on a daily basis thus promoting a package that assumes this pattern. It may be
concluded that the current users of public means have a fixed pattern of use and many
passengers that have abandoned the bus transport services had different mobility
demands that they felt indebted to as satisfied poorly either by the services offered or by
the fares charged. Thus, it is necessary to segment the services offered by the bus
transport to deliver varying products for different passengers and even to the identical
individual on varying scenarios.

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6.0 Lessons to be borrowed from Brisbane public transport system
According to a report that was generated by a consultancy firm, Brisbane has
been ranked as having the best public transport infrastructure in Australia. The report
suggested that Brisbane ranked top due to a number of improvements in its work and it
has been noted that Brisbane could take a lead and place focus on the use of bicycles
as demonstrated in cities such as Amsterdam. Brisbane is expected to take the lead in
the region with regards to sustainable and smart investments through delivering
infrastructure in the public transport. On the other hand, it is evident that Brisbane could
follow the stance of Amsterdam and adopt the concept of a smart city by emphasizing
and improving the bicycle infrastructure. It is reported that Amsterdam has more
bicycles than people and only 58% of Amsterdam residents cycle to their destinations
on a day-to-day basis.
Brisbane takes the crown as being green and sustainable and this is the sole
reason why public transport in Brisbane is one of the best means to get around
Brisbane. The introduction of TransLink card has made it possible to travel seamlessly
on all buses that belong to TransLink, ferry and even access rail services in
Queensland. The card has been the perfect travel partner. The go card is available in
many retail outlets and QR stations. Also, the go card and can be obtained through
online and over the phone and one has to top up the balance just like a prepaid mobile
phone depending on the needs of the passenger.
6.1 Free transport

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Brisbane offers free buses that tour the inner city. Some of the buses that offer
free transport are the City Loop and the Spring Hill Loop buses which circle the city in a
ten minutes interval and make stops in destinations located in the CBD whereas the
Spring Hill plies between 7.00 in the morning to 6.00 in the evening. On the other hand,
glide between Brisbane’s core regions precincts on the City Hopper ferry service that is
free of charge and travels from North Quay to Sydney.
6.2 Buses
The buses explore and tour neighborhoods surrounding Brisbane through a bus
service that is comprehensive that operated throughout the city and links both the inner
and outer suburbs to the CBD, primary shopping centers, dining and entertainment
precincts, ferry terminals and railway stops, the special NightLink buses offer services to
late-night passengers such as operating after midnight on Fridays and Saturdays. The
City Loop and Spring Hill on the other hand ferry passengers for free around the inner
city. The TransLink has a planned schedule for a passenger to plan their journey well
ahead of time.
6.3 Train
The speedy network of electric trains in Brisbane ensures wide coverage of
Brisbane region and also facilitates immediate access to the city, outer suburbs and
quirky neighbourhood territories. There is also one fundamental Airtrain service that is
incorporated in the rail suburban network of Brisbane and has regular trains that
operate from Brisbane airport to the city. As such it is possible for passengers to travel

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on a single ticket from any destination that is located in Queensland’s South East
region.
6.4 Bikes
Biking around Brisbane provides a brilliant outdoor climate as people bike around
Brisbane. The city has bicycle paths that are extensive that transcends across the city
and the technology of power pedal provides a healthy and cheap way of cycling around
Brisbane. The City council of Brisbane provides hiring services in major destinations in
the inner city making it easy to explore the city. Also, the city has made easy
accessibility of courtesy helmets that are readily available in many bike stations.
7.0 solutions to urban transport challenges in Delhi
7.1 Encouraging the concept of regional economies
It is important and crucial to support not only local economies in a manner that
limits the importance for travelling long distance but also promote the concept of
independent fused townships which could see the need for travelling short distances in
a city such as Delhi reduce significantly (Singh, 2012). The upgrading of local
economies should be accompanied by the creation of settlement schemes that are
compact through the provision of market centres and recreational facilities and work
opportunities that are proximate to where people reside such that the travelling distance
is reduced. In summary, towns of short distances should be encouraged. There are
numerous advantages that accrue from the concept of compact township over urban
sprawl and this entails few cars and two-wheeler reliance thus curbing emissions,

QUALITY OF URBAN TRANSPORT 24
cutting consumption of energy, improved services in the public transport and better
quality of life among other issues.
7.2 Primary focus on public transport specifically the buses
The mobility of passengers in Indian cities such as Delhi depends on the roads. Though
rail-based transport is available in Delhi, it hardly plays the important role of meeting
transport demand in a million-infested city of Delhi. The time is ripe to plan for a rail-
based mass system of transport in cities that have more than 2 million people. However,
evaluating the financial stability of various government departments that is the central
and regional governments and the investment prerequisites to establish and upgrade
public transport with regards to the rail system, it is clear that the bus transport will play
a primary part in delivering services to passengers in a city such as Delhi. Thus, the
plans on Delhi urban transport should lay focus on bus transport system.
Public transport in selected cities
Ahmedabad
Bengaluru
Chennai
Delhi
Hyderabad
Jaipur
Kolkata
Lucknow
Mumbai
Nagpur
Pune
-50000
0
50000
100000
150000
200000
250000
Chart Title
Taxis (2000) Taxis (2009)
Taxis CAGR (%) (2000-2009) Buses (2000)
Buses (2009) Buses CAGR (%) (2000-2009)

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(Source: Transport Research Wing, Ministry of Road Transport & Highways, Government of
India, New Delhi.)
BICYCLE
4% CAR/TAXI
9%
2W
14%
BUS
27%METRO
3%
TRAIN
1%
AUTO
RICKSHAW
5%
CYCLE
RICKSHAW
2%
WALK ONLY
35%
%
Regulations by the state and control have aggravated the poor running and
financial performance of modes of transport that are publicly owned which are the
primary provider of bus services in Delhi (Singh, 2012). The rising cost of operations
has made the transport system experience financial pressure to have fares raised,
however, political figures are also under pressure to keep the prices at prevailing rates.
Unless the transport system receives government funding, then some of the less
profitable or loss-making ventures will have to be scraped off by the transport agencies
(Mani, et al., 2014). Under a democratic system of governance, leaders are bound to
submit to pressure from the people who feel that their services are under threat and
thus insist on encouraging operations that are money-losing. As such it becomes hard

QUALITY OF URBAN TRANSPORT 26
to raise substantial revenue to the costs associated with operations. Also, they are
obliged to provide travel facilities that are concessional to varying groups such as
students and journalists despite the lump sum they pay in form of various taxes. The
gross tax burden from vehicles in the public sector is estimated to be 2.6 times higher
per vehicle compared to that of a private vehicle. It is increasingly getting hard for urban
transport enterprises that make continuous losses to manage and augment their large
fleets and this translated to poor performance in operations and deterioration in quality
service delivery.
It has also been observed that with only a few exceptions, urban transport that is
publicly owned in India runs at higher unit costs compared to transport facilities that are
regulated by the private segment. The participation of private sector in providing bus
transport services has been successful in places such as Indore and Surat. Indore, for
instance, lacked a system of public transport until 2006 and the city now has more than
100 buses that are operated by a special purpose vehicle(SPV), the Indore City
Transport Service Ltd (ICTSL). ICTSL was established towards the end of 2005 by the
Municipal Corporation of Indore in association with the Indore Development Authority to
operate and oversee the system of public transport through the Public Private
Partnership(PPP). It operated buses on more than 20 identified routes with 300 bus
stops that are based on Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT)system. The marketing of
services by buses is conducted by a vendor who issues not less than 15000 passes on
a monthly basis at set rates guaranteeing a monthly income of Rs.4 million for the
ICTSL (Singh, 2012).
8.0. Recommendations

QUALITY OF URBAN TRANSPORT 27
8.1 Improve efficiency that accompanies the operation of bus transport
There is need to channel a great deal of effort to improve the efficiency
associated with productivity of operators in the bus transport. It has been pointed out
that competitive pressure is vital to facilitate that grave endeavor that is made towards
achieving productive efficiency. This kind of competitive pressure may be sourced
through competition for the transport sector or through comparison that is systematic
from other similar operators. The effectiveness of direct competition for the market may
be seen where there are periodic tenders to deliver the service in either a partly or fully
protected market and this is basically effective in towns that lack operations of bus
transport. In such a scenario, the private sector is motivated to deliver the service where
a negative effect translates to a loss of market share by the incumbent operator. This
mounts competitive pressure on the operator thus improving efficiency with regards to
productivity. On the other hand, benchmarking, that is, systematic comparison with
other identical operators can be used objectively to boost productive efficiency of public
modes of transport facilities where a negative outcome will translate to job loss by
managers and other employees. As such this improves efficiency of operations of bus
transport in Delhi as it is served by transport facilities that are publicly owned.
8.2 Adoption of pricing strategies that are optimal for public transport
The pricing adopted for transport facilities is another primary concern and should
be addressed appropriately. It is through the implementation of a relevant pricing policy
that can encourage the use of public means and limit the use of automobiles that are
privately-owned. So far in a country such as India, the operational costs of running a

QUALITY OF URBAN TRANSPORT 28
private vehicle is less compared to the marginal social costs and this has been linked to
encouraging people to use the private vehicles.
Car
Two wheelers
Auto Rickshaw
Bus
Metro
Train
Bicycle
Cycle Rickshaws
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
Modal split-% of person Trips in Delhi
% in 2000-01
% in 2007-08
Modal share of Delhi as of 2014 (Source: Report of High Powered Committee on
How to Decongest Delhi. 2014)
Over the past few decades, government policies have been very accommodative
in supporting the automobile sector. Ownership of cars and motorcycles is deemed
desirable and thus encouraged. Accompanied by this notion is the general belief that
support and promotion of car and two-wheeler manufacturing segment are healthy for
the prosperity of the economy. It is due to such reasons that the state ends up
implementing some policies that not only lower the cost of owning a vehicle through
registration that is one-time based but also encourages the utilization of the same
vehicle. Though having no doubts of state promoting the automobile sector for the
general prosperity with regards to having a healthy economy, the state should seek
methods that limit the usage of cars and two-wheeled automobiles. Private vehicles in

QUALITY OF URBAN TRANSPORT 29
this context should incur gross external costs. The state should also employ tools that
are market-oriented such as yearly registration fee, fuel tax and road tax to raise the
marginal cost associated with the use of a private automobile to a level where it is the
same to the marginal social costs. Also, the government should encourage the use of
public transport by terminating motor vehicle tax that is paid annually and also
passenger tax on public transport automobiles.
Table 2: Age profile of on road vehicles in India
< 5 Yrs 6-10 Yrs 11-15 Yrs 16-20 Yrs 20-25 Yrs >25 Yrs
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
Chart Title
Two-wheelers Cars LCV
Source: Status of the vehicular pollution control programme in India
(March, 2010). Central Pollution control Board, Ministry of Environment &
Forests, Govt. of India.
Table 3: Estimated vehicular emission load in selected metropolitan cities in India

QUALITY OF URBAN TRANSPORT 30
Agra
Bengaluru
Chennai
Delhi
Hyderabad
Kanpur
Kolkata
Mumbai
Grand total
0
1000
2000
Chart Title
Vehicular pollution load (tons per day) Particulates
Vehicular pollution load (tons per day) Oxide of the Nitrogen
Vehicular pollution load (tons per day) Hydrocarbons Nitrogen
Vehicular pollution load (tons per day) Carbon monoxide
Vehicular pollution load (tons per day) Total monoxide
Source: Status of the vehicular pollution control programme in India
(March, 2010). Central Pollution control Board, Ministry of Environment &
Forests, Govt. of India.
Table 4: Pollution rate and congestion effect of private and public transport vehicles
Type of vehicle Average passenger
per vehicle
Pollution load in
gm/pass.-km
Congestion effect in
PCU/Pass.
Two-stroke two-wheeler petrol engine 2 7.13 0.375
Four-stroke two-wheeler petrol engine 2 4.76 0.375
Car with catalytic converter petrol
engine
4 0.93 0.25
Bus with diesel engine 40 1.00 0.075
Source: Singh (2008).
Note: PCU = Passenger Car Unit where 1 car = 1 PCU, 1 bus = 2.5 PCU, 1 scooter = 0.75
PCU, etc.
It is necessary to have a pricing strategy that is optimal for modes of transport
that involve the general public. The pricing of transport services should not only be seen
as a cost gain instrument but also for propelling the attitude of consumers (Singh,
2012). Though there is no “right price” but rather it is crucial to have pricing strategies
that are optimal. An optimal price aimed at achieving maximization of profits may be

QUALITY OF URBAN TRANSPORT 31
different from the one necessary to achieve maximum welfare or to facilitate highest
traffic income. According to economists, they prefer adoption of prices with regards to
marginal costs specifically in the case of public corporations (Vaidyanathan, et al.,
2017). The driving motive behind the logic in favour of marginal cost pricing for publicly-
owned institutions is the belief that such enterprises are formed with aim of maximizing
welfare as opposed to profit-making motive. The use pricing based on the concept of
marginal costing may result in financial loss under certain instances. A perfect example
is the decreasing cost of a frim where there are high start-up costs with regards to
capital, thus setting prices equal to marginal costs automatically sets in economic
deficits. Such deficits may be not an indicator of mismanagement. With most
undertakings in India, they seem to embrace the increasing returns to scale strategy
and implementing pricing based on marginal costing results in a financial crisis. As such
public transport in Delhi can charge varying prices based on the different quality
services delivered. With the assumption that the shift of passengers between different
services due to quality issues is negligible, the existence of a variety of services
translates to gross consumer surplus exceeding that produced if only a sole price and
service commodity were accessible. As such the operator gains from such a pricing
mechanism as costs of attending each customer segment are constant.
Also envisaging varying pricing mechanism during peak and off-peak period,
requires target pricing mechanism. The challenge associated with the peak is peculiar
with regards to the transport industry (Pojan & Stead, 2015). The challenge stems from
systematic demand variations that arise over a short duration. The matter gets
aggravated further due to the nature of transport as it cannot be stored to accommodate

QUALITY OF URBAN TRANSPORT 32
systematic demand variations with an even production. Reconciliation in this context
can only be achieved through pricing. The justification for using varying pricing for peak
and off-peak travellers originates from the logic that small increases in cost during peak
exceeds that exhibited during off-peak (Singh, 2012). When peak and off-peak
travellers are charged fares that are equated to marginal costs not only ensures that
public welfare is maximized but also has the possibility of augmenting traffic income.
Table 5: Existing modal split in Indian cities (as a %age of total trips)
City population
(in million)
Walk Mass
transport
IPT
Fast Slow
Car Two
wheeler
Bicycle Total
0.10 – 0.25 37.1 16.4 10.4 20.1 3.3 24.1 25.7 100.0
0.25 – 0.50 37.8 20.6 8.9 17.2 2.6 29.8 20.9 100.0
0.50 – 1.0 30.7 25.4 8.2 12.0 9.5 29.1 15.9 100.0
1.0 – 2.0 29.6 30.6 6.4 8.1 3.3 39.6 12.1 100.0
2.0 – 5.0 28.7 42.3 4.9 3.0 5.0 28.9 15.9 100.0
5.0 plus 28.4 62.8 3.3 3.7 6.1 14.8 9.4 100.0
Source: Singh (2005)
Table 6: Desirable modal split for Indian cities (as a %age of total trips)
City population
(in million)
Mass transport Bicycle Other modes
0.1 – 0.5 30 – 40 30 – 40 25 – 35
0.5 – 1.0 40 – 50 25 – 35 20 – 30
1.0 – 2.0 50 – 60 20 –30 15 – 25
2.0 – 5.0 60 – 70 15 – 25 10 – 20
5.0 plus 70 – 85 15 – 20 10 – 15
Source: Singh (2005)
However, following adoption of such a pricing mechanism, if traffic income is not
substantial to cover costs incurred, then the transport agencies can adopt the
alternative optimal pricing where price charged with regards to a particular niche equals
the summation of marginal cost and markup. The markup over marginal cost could be
translated as being an inverse to the price elasticity of demand. For instance, peak

QUALITY OF URBAN TRANSPORT 33
travellers are subject to be charged higher prices since their demand is inelastic
compared to off-peak travellers.
9.0 Conclusion
The demand for urban transport most prime cities in India such as Delhi
continues to increase due to population pressure arising from rural-urban migration and
also due to natural cause. Availability and access to transport with regards to motor
vehicle, increase in disposable income and increase in both economic and industrial
operations have facilitated population pressure. Unfortunately, public transport
mechanisms in Delhi have failed to match with increase in public transport demand.
Qualitatively, it is apparent that delivery of services with regards to public transport are
overcrowded during peak sessions and entail waiting for long hours. Thus, there is a
huge transfer towards private modes of transport, particularly cars and two-wheelers
and the proliferation of other modes of transport such as auto-rickshaws and taxis are
imminent.
With the increased use of private vehicles, Delhi has revolutionized the structure
of modal split. Motorization is directly associated with increased mobility of high-income
individuals in the urban population. However, the adverse effects generated by it in the
form of air pollution, congestion and accidents are too many. Though such effects are
inherent to vehicles, most of the adverse effects in cities such as Delhi have to do with
ineffective public policy.

QUALITY OF URBAN TRANSPORT 34
traffic re routing on map to reduce traffic and improve time efficiency of transport.

QUALITY OF URBAN TRANSPORT 35
Accuracy of time, 13
Adoption of pricing strategies that are
optimal for public transport, 27
Bikes, 22
Brisbane, 21
Buses, 21
Conclusion, 32
data collection, 7
Data collection and analysis, 7
Delhi, 16
Delhi Metro, 12
Development Corporation Limited, 11
DMRC, 12
DTC bus network, 8
Free transport, 21
GPS devices, 18
IFFCO, 9
Interviews, 8
Interviews,, 8
Introduction, 5
ISO 9000, 17
Literature review, 1, 34
Modal share of Delhi, 27
New Delhi in India, 5
Observations, 7
Primary focus on public transport
specifically the buses, 23
public transport, 13
Qualitative research, 7
Safety, 8
TQM, 6
Train, 21

QUALITY OF URBAN TRANSPORT 36
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