Centre for Policy Research and iTrans, with the support of the Centre for Urban Economic Studies, University of Kolkata, have conducted research on the role of intermediate public transportation (IPT) in the metropolitan area of Kolkata, funded by the Shakti Sustainable Energy Foundation. The study aims to make suggestions to integrate IPT within regulatory structures for transportation so that users move away from private transport and instead rely on a high frequency assured seating transport option that start and end close to user origins and destinations. Kolkata’s self-regulated and responsive system of auto rickshaws is a unique case in India and merits investigation from the perspective of auto drivers and users.
The four envisaged outputs include (i) a documentation of the de-jure and de-facto regulatory landscape for transportation, and specifically IPT, in the Kolkata megacity region; (ii) documentation of self-organisation models for IPT services in providing a network of services for the city; (iii) empirically grounded documentation of regulatory experiences of IPT service providers and the impact of IPT in transportation choices of users; and (iv) proposals for a regional co-ordination and regulation mechanism for public transport that includes IPT modes. The study also aims to analyse the trip-making pattern to study the contribution of the IPT system in emission reduction for the city.
The research team is holding a consultative workshop on the 15th of December 2015 at the University of Calcutta in order to disseminate and receive feedback on the findings from the study. Representatives from the traffic police, regional transport offices, state transportation department, municipal authorities and auto rickshaw unions are expected to attend, alongside academicians, researchers, urban and transportation planners and legal experts. The discussions and deliberations at the workshop are expected to offer a valuable critique of the research findings and make policy suggestions to better integrate IPT within the regulatory and legislative framework.