Siddharth Sharma, GM Rose-Hill Transport: "Yes, the Light Rail, but beware, Taxis Brown”!

When in 2012, he took over the company after the sudden death of his uncle Sanjiva Goburdhun, Siddharth Sharma already knows he has before him a heavy responsibility. "I was new to the company, I followed the news of transit in Mauritius, so I was aware of the challenge that awaited me," says this former resident of St Joseph College, communication engineer who studied in South Africa and England, and academic career smoothly.

By seizing company records, it better reflects the issues of transit with filigree light rail project which features begin to clarify with the study by experts in Mauritius Singapore. "It is a good idea. But this project raises questions that were not answered. What is our role in this new configuration? How the state has he put some order in the intra-urban transport with taxis that operate without licenses and haphazardly? And it is also redrawn realignments taking into account the new realities to come. So far, everything is still unclear, "notes Siddharth Sharma.

A visionary company

But it nonetheless recognizes the need for the future. On that ground, the company is proud to have been visionary. Even if there are a dozen years, the project of his uncle to operate intra-urban bus with a driver who would also act as controller, was met with opposition from workers. The project was realized after years on these trips. Another major achievement is the wifi connection on certain lines, an idea which is in phase with the direct extent of use of 3G mobile. "This achievement is costing us money, but for us, it is to stick to the new communication technologies. We do not discriminate for this project, buses serving Cybercity Ebene have Internet connection as well as neighborhoods such as clovers, Stanley, Plaisance, among others. For us, it is imperative to be close to the people to whom we owe the survival of our business, "says our interlocutor.

"Taxi-brown"

Although these projects are consistent with the idea that it is a service that meets the expectations of passengers, the light rail project casts the dangerous specter of a slowdown in the company, if the State does not orderly at the "taxi-brown." "If we are confined to the role of 'feeder company', so that a carrier that would convey people to the station where the expected LRT, we must ensure a service that respects the schedules in harmony with those of subway. From our side, we are ready and able to fulfill this commitment, but it is not necessary that the "taxi-brown" just messing. In this new configuration, I do not see how these two will coexist modes. Us, we must respect the specifications while benef it's all for "taxi-brown." If the state wants to project the image of a modern, clean and law-abiding, he must rule this problem at the same time that their experts conduct their study. '

Like many traders, it needs to be convinced of the viability of the light rail project. "To be solvable, there must be a critical mass of 100,000 passengers per day, but so far there is no study that proves it exists. There is a second factor that must be considered, the growing number of people who use their cars to get to work in Port-Louis. Do they go away for the light rail, knowing that such transportation immersed in total anonymity with people whose social status is sometimes lower than them, because it is a proven fact that car is more than ever a reflection of social status. The metro will be a luxury price with a price that relates to it and that values and reflects the user's social class, or a ticket is accessible to everyone. '

Holistic planning

Even excluding the questions raised by the LRT, Siddharth Sharma still see a number of problems due to a lack of holistic planning. "There are 30 or 40 years, I understand that it has not demonstrated vision for the future development of cities, but today there are skills to develop good planning projects as well as evidence of mismanagement spaces to avoid the mistakes of the past. Nowadays, with business activities that earn the outskirts of the city center, there must be spaces able to accommodate sidewalks, parking, free movement of several vehicles, but also two wheels to make the flowing traffic. '

Siddharth Sharma for, it is imperative that the State take these aspects into account when issuing building permits so that the land is consistent with the idea of a healthy lifestyle. "Mauritians traveling a lot these days, and Mauritius, some may work until late in activities such as outsourcing. They need a safe environment to the point. At Rose-Hill Transport, we have always worked in compliance with these new requirements by introducing products that make life easier for our customers, but to ourselves, we are limited. The State and other agencies must do their part, I am convinced that Mauritians will follow, as they did when banned smoking in public transport. The new generation is now aware of the ills of society, but it must come from the example above, it was always like that in society. As a family, it is the elders who show a good example. '