TRANSIT ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT FOR J.M. ROAD METRO CORRIDOR, PUNE

Abstract

Indian metropolitan cities have witnessed tremendous growth trends with infrastructure and management problems in the post economic reforms era of late twentieth century. Transit Oriented Development (TOD) combined withcornpactness is a multi-dimensional planning approach advocating high density, mixed use, accessible and public transit adjacent development. In a developing country like India,where several high budget public transit projects are being planned across many cities, TOD can serve as a toolkit for integrating land use and transportation, to conserve land, and plan compact, highly accessible settlements where all daily requirements can be accessed with ease by walking cycling or by use of public transport. The Dissertation Transit Oriented Development for J.M. Road Metro Corridor, Pune" is an attempt to understand the theory of TOD and how this theory can be applied for planning the ever growing indian Metropolises. The era of privatisation and globalisation in India has altered the pattern of compact transit oriented development. Since 1991, there has been a great boom in the auto industry of India. The promotion of private auto oriented development coupled with the increase in real estate investment has led to large scale housing projects coming up haphazardly along the city fringe areas. Huge parcels of fertile agricultural land continues to be used for large scale housing projects causing serious ecological imbalance. These projects lack basic infrastructure facilities as well as a decent connectivity to the city public transport system. It is extremely cital to curb this unsustainable growth of urban areas. The availability of land as a resource is limited and therefore its cautious use is extremely important. Several large scale transit projects are being planned in metropolitan cities of India. The city development plans and comprehensive mobility plans of many cities make a mention of Transit Oriented development as a 'tool for integrating transport and land use'. However, in the name of TOD, intensive development is planned along the transit corridors to partly recover the huge investments done in the development of transits. This dissertation therefore attempts to understand the real principles of TOD through analysis of available literature and a brief study of certain settlements promoting use of public transit. This analysis would then form the basis for developing a rationale for making indian urban development compact and transit oriented. The main aim of this dissertation is , To integrate the high density development of J.M. Road stretch with the proposed metro corridor'S. The dissertation focuses on physical III planning of urban fabric around the proposed J. M. Road Metro corridor in the Pune city of Mahcrashtra state as per the guidelines of TOD. The study area is limited to 500m along both sides of the proposed metro corridor. The results and broad recommendations would serve as guidelines for planning ftiture urban development in Pune as well as other citieS. Transit Oriented Development is the primary domain of this dissertation. The study can be broadly divided into three parts : 1) Understanding the theory of TOD through literature review and through analytical look at certain settlements, 2) Application of TOD in the study area of J.M. Road. Pune and 3) Preparing a comprehensive TOD model for a selected area of PCMC based upon recommendations and guidelines. The methodology adapted here aims to comprehensively understand the theory of TOD and how the theory can be applied to plan the selected planning area. This involves detailed analysis of all development proposals, master plans,comprehensive mobility plans and policies pertaining to the selected research area. The proposals and recommendations have been compared with the available literature on transit oriented development. Additional data required for the study has been collected through direct personal investigation and questionaires. Appropriate case studies have been carried out pertaining to the issue. The results and findings serve as guidelines for framing broad recommendations and policy guidelines. A selected part of the study area is worked out in detains in accordance to the recommendations and guidelines of TOD. The first chapter of the introduction briefly explains the background behind the theory of TOD. It states the aim, objectives, scope and limitations of the research proposal. The second chapter of literature reciew throws light on the unsustainable growth trends in Indian metropolitan cities followed by a detailed understanding of the theory, definitions, principles and various aspects of TOD. This section also analyses the latest trends in TOD • through review of books. The literature review provides direct hints in terms of do's and donts for successful implementation of TOD. The case studies attempt to understand the approach of different countries towards land use and transport integration. The selected examples include I-long Kong in China, Curtiba in Brazil and Delhi in India. The chapter dealing with study appraisal of planning area contains in depth analysis of Pune area through analysis of city development plan, comprehensive mobility plan and other planning policies. Any additional data requirement has been fulfilled through personal investigation. Afler analyses of the planning area a detailed analysis has been iv carried out about the J.M. Road metro corridor to study its potential for TOD. The analysis is carried out through the study of existing literature and photographic documentation of the recent development around the corridor. The data about peoples travel pattern and characteristics has been gathered through a questionaire. However, the data collected is only to get a very rough estimate about the travel characteristics. The survey carried out is not scientific and represents the opinion of a particular class of the people belonging to the study area. The inferences of the entire analytical data on TOD, selected planning area and J.M. Road metro corridor have been used to propose a comprehensive TOD model. The suggested planning proposal consists of three main parts 1) Conceptual model for integrating various modes of transit, 2) Broad recommendations and suggestions for TOD along the entire stretch of J.M. Road Metro corridor. 3) Detailed TOD workinginodeI for J.M Road metro corridor. In the concluding chapter, the dissertaion highlights the achievements of TOD through a • comparative analysis between the existing planning proposal for J.M. Road area and the suggested TOD model for plairning the same area. The outcome of the research clearly indicates that it is possible to conserve land to the extent of more research clearly indicates that it is possible to conserve land to the extent of more than 50% by planning a compact, high density, highly accessible and transit-oriented development and utilise this conserved land for agriculture, social forestry, etc,. The research also raises certain questions whether any modifications or alterations are required in the existing planning policies and development control rules of the study area to facilitate a compact, high density and mix-use development.