About this previous year paper
SECTION A (2 Marks Each)
(a) Nature of Traffic Problem in Cities
Urban traffic problems include congestion, delay, accidents, pollution, parking shortage, and mixed traffic conditions due to rapid urbanization and vehicle growth.
(b) Role of Transportation – Social Aspect
Transportation improves access to education, healthcare, employment, recreation, social interaction, and overall quality of life.
(c) Traffic Flow
Traffic flow is the number of vehicles passing a point on a roadway per unit time, usually expressed in vehicles per hour.
(d) IPT
IPT stands for Intermediate Public Transport, such as auto-rickshaws, e-rickshaws, taxis, and shared vans.
(e) Difference Between MRTS and BRTS
MRTS is rail-based mass transit like metro and suburban rail, while BRTS is bus-based rapid transit operating on dedicated lanes.
(f) Trip Generation
Trip generation is the process of estimating the number of trips produced and attracted by different land uses.
(g) Travel Demand
Travel demand refers to the number of trips people want to make between different locations during a given time period.
(h) Net Present Value (NPV)
NPV is the difference between present value of benefits and present value of costs of a project.
(i) Modal Split
Modal split is the distribution of trips among different modes of transport such as car, bus, metro, walk, etc.
(j) Travel Demand
Travel demand represents the need for movement of people and goods influenced by land use and socio-economic factors.
SECTION B (10 Marks Each – Attempt Any Three)
(a) Overview of Transportation System Prevailing in India
India’s transportation system includes roadways, railways, airways, waterways, and pipelines. Roads carry the majority of passenger and freight traffic. Railways form the backbone for long-distance travel and bulk goods. Urban areas depend on buses, IPT, metro rail, and non-motorized transport. Rapid urbanization has increased pressure on infrastructure, creating the need for integrated and sustainable transport planning.
(b) Zoning and Study Area
Zoning is the division of a city into smaller zones having similar land-use and travel characteristics. The study area is the geographical region selected for transport analysis. Zoning helps in accurate estimation of trips, data collection, and analysis during transport planning.
(c) Factors Governing Trip Generation and Attraction
Trip generation depends on population, income, car ownership, household size, and land use type. Trip attraction depends on employment, commercial activity, educational institutions, shopping areas, and recreational centers.
(d) Modal Split – Flow Diagram and Explanation
Modal split occurs after trip generation and trip distribution. It determines how trips are divided among different transport modes based on travel cost, time, comfort, income, and availability. It helps in planning balanced and efficient transport systems.
(e) Difficulties in Transport Planning
Major difficulties include lack of reliable data, rapid urban growth, financial constraints, mixed traffic conditions, land acquisition problems, environmental concerns, and coordination among agencies.
SECTION C (10 Marks Each)
Q3
(a) Different Modes of Surface Transport
Surface transport includes road transport (cars, buses, IPT, non-motorized vehicles), rail transport (metro, suburban rail, tramways), and intermediate modes. Each mode has different capacity, speed, cost, and suitability based on city size and travel demand.
(b) Land Use Transport Planning
Land use transport planning integrates land development and transport systems. Land use affects travel demand, while transport accessibility influences land development. Proper integration reduces travel distance, congestion, and energy consumption.
Q4
(a) Goals and Objectives of Transport Planning
The goals include safe, efficient, economical, and environmentally sustainable transport. Objectives include reducing congestion, improving mobility, ensuring equity, minimizing accidents, and supporting urban development.
(b) Growth Factor Methods and Synthetic Method
Growth factor methods include uniform growth method and Fratar method, which estimate future trips based on growth rates. A synthetic method like regression analysis relates trips to socio-economic variables.
Q5
(a) Assignment Techniques
Traffic assignment techniques include all-or-nothing assignment, capacity-restraint assignment, and stochastic assignment.
In all-or-nothing assignment, all trips between an origin-destination pair are assigned to the shortest path.
(b) Traffic Assignment Applications in India
In India, traffic assignment is used for planning metro corridors, BRT systems, flyovers, ring roads, and urban road networks in major cities.
Q6
(a) Surveys in Urban Transport Planning
Surveys include household survey, land use survey, traffic volume survey, origin-destination survey, speed and delay survey, and parking survey. These provide essential data for planning.
(b) Planning Aspects of Transportation in Smart Cities
Smart city transport focuses on public transport integration, ITS, electric mobility, pedestrian and cycling infrastructure, traffic management, and data-driven planning.
Q7
(a) Independence of Land Use and Traffic
Land use and traffic are interdependent. Land use generates travel demand, and transport infrastructure influences land development. Ignoring this relationship leads to congestion and poor planning.
(b) System Approach to Transport Planning
System approach considers transport as a complete system with inputs, processes, outputs, and feedback. It includes data collection, analysis, modeling, evaluation, and decision-making for efficient planning.