The Chennai Unified Metropolitan Transport Authority (CUMTA), an idea that had been spoken about since 2010 got a fresh lease of life a couple of years ago. Given the importance of the subject on hand for an ever-expanding city, the progress (or rather, for almost a good decade, the lack of it) has been keenly followed in these pages over this period. Much traffic, so to speak had passed since the time the idea was envisaged, with the entire public transport scene in the city having undergone a transformation in all aspects. And so, when it was announced in 2023 that it had become a reality, it was warmly welcomed (MM, April 16-30, 2023).
There have been a couple of recent heartwarming developments with respect to the agency’s work. The first was the approval by the State Government of a Rs 2.5 lakh-crore Comprehensive Mobility Plan, a 25-year vision to expand and integrate the city’s transport network. The second has been the launch of the Chennai One mobility app, a platform, offering seamless connectivity to public transportation networks. Integrating 621 MTC bus routes, three suburban and MRTS lines and two metro corridors in one ticketing platform, it has the distinction of being the first of its kind in the entire country. Operating on a GPS model, tracking users and vehicles in real time, it suggests live routes, displays schedules, and allows commuters to buy tickets through UPI and scan them on boarding.
Going by the initial reports on social media, the app seems to be a hit on all counts. Over 1.3 lakh downloads and 4,300 bookings were reported on just day one of its launch. A particularly heartening feature has been the signing up of more than one lakh auto drivers belonging to the Namma Yatri platform. Autos are the most common service providers providing the last mile connectivity and hence getting them into the fold is a major step in the right direction. While feedback about the overall experience on the app has been mostly positive, there have been glitches reported in terms of its performance and notably in aspects such as making it more disabled-user friendly. Officials at CUMTA have acknowledged these issues and have announced that the app will continue to be upgraded to provide better convenience and inclusivity for commuters.
While we await further evolvement of the Chennai One app, it is an opportune moment to pause and reflect on a few issues with respect to public mobility. The first concerns the basic infrastructure on which the entire system evolves. Take for instance our roads. Ours is a city where some part or the other is dug up through the year on account of various reasons. As the relaying of roads after completion of the work is invariably delayed, many areas resemble bombed-out war zones with trenches in the guise of potholes. Unless there is an overhaul, in the way these road digging and relaying exercises are conducted, to ensure minimum public inconvenience in terms of time involved, no amount of mobility planning will make it effective. Yet another aspect, about which volumes have been spoken and written about is the dire need to upgrade the pedestrian infrastructure. Walking and cycling-only zones in a few areas of the city cannot obliterate the need for uniform safe mobility to pedestrians. An ever-growing vehicle population, particularly of two wheelers and four wheelers, is increasing the pressure on the roads and bringing about associated problems such as haphazard parking.
Our city is in the throes of a breakthrough in terms of connectivity, with the work on Phase II of the Metro Rail gaining speed. The development of the Chennai One App and the announcement of the Comprehensive Mobility Plan have hence come about at the right time after making all the right noises. It is for the authorities to take steps to recognize and take corrective action for existing challenges, which will truly ensure that commuting becomes a pleasurable experience.