Surat: Potential user class planning can help increase BRTS ridership in Surat. Such a planning has proved to be very successful in The Netherlands. There should be special bus services for schoolkids one hour in morning and one in afternoon. Similar bus services to textile markets for the benefit of traders of Vesu and City Light can also be planned. There are about 70,000 shops in Surat textile markets on Ring Road. At least 1.5 lakh people go to textile markets on a regular basis for business apart from three lakh others for labour work. At present, these people use their two-wheelers and cars.If regular BRTS route is planned from Vesu to Ring Road textile market starting at 10.30am up to 12 noon via Anuvrat Dwar and another from New City Light to the textile market, there would be definite increase in ridership. Also, BRTS buses can be plied on the same routes from 9pm to 10.30pm for the benefit of the same class of people.There are 50 schools in the 5km area from Parle Point to Vesu. Over 4,000 autorickshaws and 2,500 vans ferry children to their schools and back home. If there are BRTS buses for children in the morning and afternoon hours, the ridership would definitely increase.“Surat Municipal Corporation needs to plan seriously for this. It should have sufficient fleet of buses, trained drivers and a dedicated time table,” said Dr Rakesh Kumar Singh, transportation expert from SVNIT.

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