MRTS System in Delhi: Increase in Mode Choice and its Mobility and Equity Implications

Abstract

The concern for policy makers is to find suitable answers for the growing mobility needs in most developing cities, as they are currently facing serious problems related to increasing road traffic leading to traffic congestion and pollution. Since most transportation is a derived demand, the goal of transport policy should be to improve mobility so as to enhance accessibility. This paper begins by identifying the mobility needs associated with access to different urban facilities in a rapidly developing mega—city, Delhi. Mobility preferences by population groups, income classes, location, vehicle ownership and by mode are presented. Second, the paper tries to examine the mobility benefits due to the introduction of the MRTS system in Delhi. The standard multinomial logit formulation is used to estimate mode—destination choice model for two scenarios; before and after an introduction of the MRTS for work trips. The change in value of time, representing the change in wage rate, is used as a measure of mobility. Finally, the study proposes a link between mobility and equity using the well established quantitative measure of equity, the Gini coefficient. Results indicate that the introduction of the MRTS system leads to the change in the value of time by Rs/hr 33.74 (0.69 $US/hr). Further, the equity implications of the increase in value of time suggest a positive change (towards equity).