Project Details

Objective:

The work requires assessment of traffic impact on surrounding areas. This will involve estimation of trips generated by different travel modes and direction of travel. This work does not qualify as routine proof checking therefore consultancy type A is suggested.

INTRODUCTION

East Kidwai Nagar redevelopment project is one of the first projects designed to meet the new guidelines notified by the DDA for Transit Oriented Development (TOD) along the public transport corridors. The objective of TOD guidelines is to encourage commuters to use public transport system instead of private vehicles, which leads to increase in traffic load on all roads, especially the major arterial roads. This is achieved by a careful mix of different strategies, such as increasing density, increasing mix of land-uses (commercial and residential together), reduction in parking space to discourage residents to own cars, improving access to public transport stops, improving safety and security around public transport stops, etc. Such strategies are expected to reduce the number of motorized trips to office, and shopping areas, reduce length of trips to encourage use of active transport modes(pedestrians, bicycles, public transport), and reduce dependence on motorized vehicles. In principle Kidwai Nagar redevelopment project is expected to meet these requirements. For TOD policy to be successful, both demand side management and supply side improvement strategies are required. Assessment of traffic (motorized traffic) based on TOD norms and providing parking accordingly, is insufficient to ensure success of TOD policy. 

As per the court order dated 27-08-2018, review of East Kidwai Nagar project has been carried out covering the following aspects based on the documents provided by NBCC (Annex1) and site visit by IIT faculties - Prof. G. Tiwari, Prof. K. R. Rao, Prof. Nezamuddin and Prof. M. Manoj on 7th October, 2018. Site visit was co-ordinated by Sri A. K. Sharma, General Manager, NBCC: 

i. Compliance with respect to MPD 2021, zonal development plan, TOD guidelines

ii. Norms assumed to estimate travel mode shares

iii. Parking calculation as per the recommended norms

iv. Traffic circulation patterns and its impact on surrounding roads and area

v. Assessment of access to public transport system

vi. Assessment of likelihood of travel mode shares in the current scenario. Observations on each aspect is given below.

i. Compliance with respect to MPD 2021, zonal development plan, TOD guidelines 

As per Master Plan of Delhi 2021 (Chapter 12 & 17), the redevelopment project at East Kidwai Nagar (EKN) falls within TOD zone.

Salient features of TOD as per Delhi Master Plan include the following: Definition

Any development, macro or micro, that is focused around a transit node, and facilitates

complete ease of access to the transit facility, thereby inducing people to walk and use public transportation over personal modes of transport.

Main Principles

• High Density, Mixed-use, Mixed-Income Development near stations (Maximum permissible Density - 2000 PPH and FAR – 400)

• Pedestrian & Non-Motorized Transport (NMT) Friendly Environment

• Inducing Modal Shift

• Facilitating Multi-Modal Interchange

The EKN redevelopment has increased the density and included institutional (office spaces) and other permissible mixed land-use. Increased density and FAR is within the permissible limits. Observation: Inside the premises, pedestrian friendly environment is proposed. However there are weak efforts to induce modal shifts (use of public transport) and multi modal interchange. 

ii. Norms assumed to estimate travel mode shares.

The assumed modal split (by PT) for traffic estimation is 70%. This as per the recommended modal split in the master plan (see table 1). However, this does not show the current modal split. The modal split given by Census 2011 for south Delhi is: 43% by private modes (scooters and cars) and 45% by public transport (Bus+train+Auto). Therefore assumption of 70% trips by public transport is questionable.

Assessment of access to public transport system 

As per the Delhi Master Plan “TOD is essentially any development, macro or micro, that is focused around a transit node, and facilitates complete ease of access to the transit facility, thereby  nducing people to walk and use public transportation over personal modes of transport.” Therefore strong access to both metro and bus system is required.

Assessment of likelihood of travel mode shares in the current scenario.

The assumed modal split (by PT) for traffic estimation is 70% (Traffic Analysis report pages 25-26). This results in 21,000 passenger trips by personal vehicles.

Whereas, modal split given by Census 2011 for south Delhi is: 43% by private modes (scooters and cars) and 45% by public transport (bus+train+auto). Therefore using census modal split, 17500 person trips  ill be more than the estimated trips by NBCC.

Summary

Observations on compliance and assumptions used various aspects are summarized as:

i. Compliance with respect to MPD 2021, zonal development plan, TOD guidelines: Yes increased density and mixed landuse, FAR as recommended in MPD.

ii. Norms assumed to estimate travel mode shares: Not based on current usage, based on “vision of “ MPD.

iii. Parking calculation as per the recommended norms: More than recommended for TOD zone.

iv. Traffic circulation patterns and its impact on surrounding roads and area: Based on 2010 traffic survey. No estimates to project it for future. Underestimating personal motorized vehicular trips on Aurobindo Marg and Ring road.

v. Assessment of access to public transport system: Poor connectivity despite close proximity. 

vi. Assessment of likelihood of travel mode shares in the current scenario: Underestimating personal motorized share.