Development and Management of Sustainable Transport Model for Ahmedabad

Abstract

This research has been carried out with a goal to support sustainable development in India with a focus on the urban bus transport systems. Transport sustainability frameworks and models adopted worldwide were captured and the bus transit situation of Ahmedabad, India was studied. Two types of interventions, namely, the use of alternative fuel technology for bus locomotion and alternative route network for bus mobility were considered in detail to explore the potential benefits in terms of social, economic and environmental gains. The philosophy of life cycle thinking, maximization of social benefits and social values, financial self-sustenance, utilization of renewable resources and value addition of existing built environment was adopted in order to examine the effects of these interventions. Five alternative fuel technologies, namely diesel, biodiesel blend B15, biodiesel blend B85, grid electric and solar electric mobility were examined for the case of existing BRTS in Ahmedabad through the tools of life cycle cost assessments and social benefitcost assessments. The technical requirements of each of these alternatives were identified and features pertaining to the financial, environmental and other socio-economic aspects were assessed in the process. Renewable resources such as biodiesel and solar-based electricity have a potential to avail carbon finance through the clean development mechanism and therefore twenty combinations of modal shift and fuel technology were assessed to evaluate the carbon emission reductions and corresponding carbon finance. As a result of this, it was observed that the biodiesel can bring plenty of benefits and can also be implemented with ease and therefore should be seen as a potential technology for short term adoption. It was also observed that solar electric mobility can result in much higher environmental benefits, however it has major capital expenditure requirement that can create a weak financial situation if adopted. Therefore, an alternative financial model by way of public-private partnership has been formulated to suggest and support solar electric mobility as a future system in the long term. The model thus formulated can utilize soft loans and private sector investments through tax-free green bonds while providing profit incentives to operators and social marginal infrastructure fare pricing to users of the transit system. An attempt was also made to rationalize the route network of the conventional bus transport system in order to achieve route integration and improved accessibility provisions. It was found that a huge potential improvement in accessibility could be availed just by route modifications. Thus, an alternative network was also proposed. As part of the research, a public transport sustainability assessment model has been developed and frameworks for assessment of life cycle cost and social benefit-cost ratio for adoption of alternative fuel technology for bus transit have also been developed. A qualitative assessment framework for establishing the sustainability and suitability of biodiesel alternative was also developed, looking to the controversial arguments available in the literature with regards to the use of biodiesel. Further, an alternative to the conventional clean development mechanism method and a suitable public-private partnership model for solar electric bus technology adoption were also developed. Finally, an alternative route network for improved accessibility and integrated mass transport was also formulated. Keywords: Biodiesel, clean development mechanism, electric mobility, life cycle cost assessment, public-private partnership, public transport accessibility, social benefit-cost assessment, solar electric bus transport