Rani Devalla Visakhapatnam

A complete revamping exercise of Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS) is planned in Visakhapatnam with an agenda to convert it into an Electric Rapid Transit (e-RT) system.

With Switzerland-based Hess Green Mobility Limited evincing interest in the project, the proposed Electric Rapid Transit system aims to ease urban bottlenecks substantially and strengthen public transportation system along the city’s BRTS corridors.

Representatives of Switzerland-based HESS Green Mobility India Private Limited inspected the BRTS stretches.

Accompanied by GVMC Commissioner Ketan Garg, chief engineer PV Satyanarayana Raju, chief city planner A Prabhakar Rao, traffic Additional Commissioner of Police K Praveen Kumar, Pendurthi mandal revenue officer Venkataramana, HESS project representatives Praveen Kumar and Pranesh N Nayak highlighted the exclusive features of e-RT system. They informed that the high-capacity electric buses can ferry more than 240 passengers per trip and are capable of operating for nearly 23 hours a day. They further informed that HESS possesses over 140 years of engineering expertise and that the e-RT system already operates successfully in several European countries and Australia.

Minimising traffic woes and introducing modern public transportation facilities in the city, the concerned officials elaborated on the measures to be implemented as part of the e-RT system.

For commuters travelling between Pendurthi and Convent Junctions, passing through them is a horrendous task as traffic congestion swells during peak hours. Commuters find it extremely tough to wade through the ever-increasing vehicle volume and traffic bottlenecks in these junctions. Given the traffic congestion, especially between Pendurthi and Convent Junctions, measures are being considered to reduce traffic issues and commuter inconvenience by introducing modern public transportation facilities.

Civic chief Ketan Garg informed that the objective of the ensuing project is to provide citizens with an advanced public transportation system equal to metro-like facilities. He mentioned that the e-RT system would enable electric buses to operate in dedicated corridors in a fast, safe and environmentally-friendly manner.

The proposed e-RT system would play a key role in reducing traffic congestion, decreasing the usage of private vehicles, controlling pollution, and providing faster public transportation services.

Establishment of bus stations, development of dedicated corridors and provision of infrastructure required for the electric buses operation were examined by the officials.

To advance the project, officials from APSRTC, APEPDCL, traffic police, GVMC, the revenue department and other departments concerned to meet next.