Optimizing Urban Mobility: A Study of First and Last Mile Connectivity for Pune Metro
摘要
Traffic congestion in Pune city is becoming a significant challenge to deal with. According to TomTom’s 2023 report, Pune has ranked 7th among the world’s most congested cities with residents spending an average of 256 h annually in peak-hour traffic. The major reason contributing to this trend is people’s preference for using privately owned vehicles over public transportation, with Pune currently having 43.4 lakh registered vehicles. This shift of individuals from using private vehicles to public transportation can occur through the provision of well-designed access to public infrastructure which involves ensuring adequate facilities for first and last mile connections. The concept of First and Last Mile Connectivity (FLMC) refers to the infrastructure facilitating spatial accessibility to public transportation influencing individuals’ decisions regarding their choice of travel mode. This paper presents the comprehensive study of FLMC for Pune Metro stations along the metro corridor stretching from Vanaz to Civil Court. To establish this, a primary survey was conducted to comprehend passengers’ origin and destination, the current mode of FLM travel, preferred travel mode for FLM, and other socio-economic factors. The anticipated outcome of correlating the surveyed factors is to evaluate passengers’ requirements for FLMC, as well as to gauge the infrastructure demand for accommodating high-frequency commuters from specific locations. It has been observed from the survey that PCMC, Civil Court, Ruby Hall, Pune railway station, and Vanaz metro station have the highest frequency of commuters. As of now, the highest mode for FLMC is walking, followed by private 2-wheelers and auto-rickshaws. Finally, the paper addresses the implications of findings and improvement of FLMC for Pune Metro Stations.