In a landmark decision on Thursday, the Madhya Pradesh High Court has directed the state government to dismantle the Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS) corridor in Indore. This order was issued by a division bench consisting of Chief Justice Suresh Kumar Kait and Justice Vivek Jain, during the hearing of a public interest litigation (PIL).
The BRTS, which became operational in 2013, stretches approximately 11 kilometers from Rajeev Gandhi Square to Dewas Naka. It was designed to facilitate faster commuting but has become a source of significant traffic bottlenecks due to an increase in vehicle numbers over the years.
The PIL, initiated by Indore residents K D Kodwani and N M Qureshi, challenged the corridor on multiple grounds, including its feasibility, the insufficiency of vehicle parking spaces, and the lack of a permanent approval from the transport department for operational vehicles. According to their counsel, Ajinkya Dagaonkar, the structures of the BRTS corridor have severely hindered traffic movement, compelling the court’s intervention.
In response to the issues raised, the court had previously ordered the formation of a committee in September last year to assess the viability of the BRTS route. The committee’s findings, as reported by Dagaonkar, concluded that the corridor was no longer feasible due to the increased traffic flow.
The decision to dismantle the corridor aligns with announcements made by Chief Minister Mohan Yadav last November, citing the removal of the BRTS as a measure to alleviate traffic congestion and improve daily commuting for the city’s populace.
