Introduction

Transportation Issues
in
Disaster Management

Transport system is an important part of urban

development which is considered as life line of
the urban areas.
Modern Transit System reflects the image of
the society .
Relation between Transport & Disaster.

Pawan Kumar
Centre for Transportation Systems

Case I : Failure of transport system brings disasters .

Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee.

Case II : Occurrence of natural disasters causes failure/
1

damage to the transit system.

Disaster Management

Transport in Pre-disaster Phase

Disaster management is a multi disciplinary

area covering a wide range of issues such as

Transportation network and evacuation planning are an integral

-Search
-Relief
-Rehabilitation
-Evaluation.

-Rescue
-Reconstruction
-Monitoring

Disaster Management Activities in

-Pre-disaster Phase
-During disaster
-Post disaster Phase

Transport has important role to play in each

3
phase of disaster.

On August 28, 2005, Mayor ordered mandatory

evacuation of the city New Orleans, Louisiana.
1.4 million inhabitants were in the high threat areas.

About 3 lakhs people did not have access to

reliable personal transportation.
Public officials were aware of and willing to
accept risk to 3 lakhs people unable to evacuate
because they lacked transportation.
Public officials provided little guidance or
assistance to people who lacked automobiles.
5
(John Renne (2005), Car-less in the Eye of Katrina, Planetizen )

component of disaster management.

Role of Transport in Evacuations before disaster

and Mass Evacuation.
Example :
Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was one
of the five deadliest in the history of USA .

Formed : August 23, 2005

Dissipated : August 30, 2005
Highest winds : 280 km/h

Hurricane Katrina on August 28 2005

Failure to have
an effective
evacuation plan for non-drivers.

Failure to prioritize evacuation to

ensure that the most vulnerable
leave first.

Failure to offer free or subsidized

evacuation transport to people
who need it.

Photo:
West
End
Blvd
Interchange and surrounding
are of North West New Orleans
and Merairie, Louisiana
6

 10 pickup locations were established where city

buses were to take people to emergency shelters.
The service was unreliable.
Transit dependent people were directed to the Superdome.
Superdome had insufficient water, food, medical care , and
security. It lead to a medical and humanitarian crisis.

Refuges

of Last Resort

for citizens who could

not leave the city
were established.

Damage of Louisiana Superdome

7

Louisiana Superdome

Example : Hurricane Rita at Louisiana and

Texas Coasts, Sept 24, 2005
Public officials ordered evacuations of coastal
cities and provided free bus transportation for nondrivers.
More residents
instructions.

responded

to

evacuation

Significant automobile traffic problems.

Superdome Roof Damage

3 million people evacuated the Texas coast,

creating colossal 100 mile long traffic jams that
left many stranded and out of fuel.
10

Many fuel stations ran out of gasoline.

Mechanical breakdown of vehicles.
Vehicles failed along the way due to overheating and
running out of fuel, further increasing congestion.
Vehicles were crawling average 10-20 miles in nine
hours.

10 mile long traffic jams at Texas Coast

11

Some driver turned around to take their chances at

home rather than being caught in the open when
12
the Rita struck ( Blumenthal 2005)

 Public Transport were considered as a mode of last

resort.
Failure to prioritize evacuation traffic to favour buses, HOVs
and service vehicles.
Failure to implement a transit and school bus in

Evacuation Action Plan.

It created huge differences in convenience, comfort

and safety between

- Motorists and

Non-motorists

- wealthy and poor

- white and black
- able and disabled.resulted as
-costly & dangerous rescue efforts,
-health problems and
-distrust of authority.

Failure to coordinate
-vehicles rentals,
-fuels distribution and
- services along
evacuation routes.
13

According to HOV Priority VTPI 2005

14

Transport during disaster/just after disaster

A city with one million residents and four

lane highways
(2 in Nos.) in functional
conditions require only 24 hours to
evacuate all residents if about half are
transported by bus and other
high
occupancy vehicles.

Transport is required:
- search and rescue operation.
- delivery of emergency supplies
and services, etc

- carry of victims from collapsed

structure to local hospital and
shelters in case of fire/earthquake,
etc.

In some situations,
-train may be also be useful for mass evacuations.
-Urban light rail lines may carry 20,000 passengers/hour
-Heavy rail line can also be arranged .
15

Hence Emergency Transportation + Public Transport

Services are an component of all emergency preparedness
efforts.
16

Transportation in Post Disaster

Better existing networks in terms of

-Road,
-Rail,
-Air,
Life line structures such as bridges, telecom, pipelines, etc.
promote better rescue and relief & recovery process.

17

26th Dec. 2004 was a black day for India (Tsunami in coastal
areas and Andaman & Nicobar Islands)

18

Town & Country Planning Organization

Ministry of Urban Development
Govt. of India prepared
Layout Plans for Permanent Settlements in
72 locations in various islands in Andaman &
Nicobar Island

19
JETTY DEVASTED BY TSUNAMI IN TERESSA

66
73 71 69 68 65
67 64
77 76 74 72 70
75
78

Off

PERMANENT SETTLEMENTS FOR

ANDAMAN & NICOBAR ISLANDS

Run

1 81
180
179
1

71
1

AH
NA

LL

106
105
104
10 3
102
101

100

1 07

109
108

110

111
112
113
1 14

125

123

124

121

120

122

119

118
117
116
1 15

133

13
2
131

130

13

129

128

12
7

126

13 5

145

144

148
14
7
146

151

14 6
150

149

148

151

116

R/ W

All dimen sio ns ar e in meters.

9M

R/ W
9M

11

T he Layou t Plan may be modified as p er site

co nditions & minimisin g tree felling.

32

C /W

R /W
9M

9M

19

20

on information / Drgs . mad e availab le b y ANI

Admin istratio n, APWD.

12

6M w
ide

R /W

R/ W

73

All parks/open spaces of mor e than 500 sq m. area

N

31

53

23
28

51

sh all have rainwater h arvesting pits.

All Settlemen t plans shall b e p rovid ed ad equate

97

24

gr een b uffer aro und them.

Clear ance fro m pipe lin e an d HT line shall b e

maintain ed as per statu tory r equiremen ts.

27
25

111

110
109
108
107
106
105
104
103
1 02
101
100
99
98
97

26

GAR BA GE
DU MP

127
126
125
124
123
122
12 1
120
119
118
117

98

AL
LAH

21
22

30
29

52

133

140
139
138
137
136

33

47

48
49

50

116

11 3
11
4
115

45

This Layo ut Plan has been prep ared b ased

09
10

46

57
56

55
54

115
114
113
112

11 7

11 1
11 2

151
1 50

58

66

68
69

70
71

72

130
129
128

1 56

142

1 18

1 58

R/

119

SU B
C EN TER

132

110

1 53
1 52

15 7

141

1 09

143

1
49
14
8
1
47
1 46
1
144 5

1 54
155

150

40M

143
14 2
141
140
1 39
138
137
136

1
6
160 1
15
15 9
8

15157
6
155

1 21
120

144

150

10
8

145

151

15 9

107

1 22

9M

GA RB AGE
D UMP

152

1.5

Existing Tree

NOTE:

18

34

44

67

89

90

9M

9M

153

5 0 10 20

149

154
153
152
1 51
150

R/ W

1 61
16 0

162 163

154

FOR TCPO FOR ANI ADMIN

14
0
1 41

59

74

Propo sed Dw elling Units : 222 Nos.

Area
: 8 .82 Ha
Density
: 25 DUs / Ha

08

17

43

88

93

91

66

1 65
16 4

Site boundary

16

36

42

60

65

OPE N
SPA CE

104

10 5
1 06

123

P IPE LIN E

Road
osed
Prop

1 671

83

94

1 03

NA LLAH

17 0

PA TH

16 9 16 8

R/

64

75

35

87

92

155

green buffer around them.

82

12 5
1 24

9M

175 1 76

IDE
3M W

171 17 2

156

1 73 1 74

15

86
95

13 7

138

13 9

S CH OOL

P ATH

61

76

81

LINE

126

PLAY GROU ND

165
164

shall have rainwater harvesting pits.

All Settlement plans shall be provided adequate

HT

1 78 177
1 80 17 9

E
3M WID

157

conditions & minimising tree felling.

All parks/open spaces of more than 500 sqm. area

102
135
1 36

18 3 18 4

160

181

DATE

148
1 49

159
1 58

Pipe Line

07

41
37

134

18 2

161

on information / Drgs. made available by ANI

Administration, APWD.

The Layout Plan may be modified as per site

High Ten sion Line

06

13
14

39
38

40

62

131

162

This Layout Plan has been prepared based

All dimensions are in meters.

Pondichery University Compound

9M

65M
M dia

R/W

NOTE:

University Compound Wall

57

59

7 18

6
5 18
18

13 4

LINE
HT

77

80

63

135

R /W

R/W

Pip
e line

18
163

79

85

97
96

1 47

57

198

E P
ATH

109

1 97

199

84

13 3

14 7

COMMU NITY
H ALL

98

E
LIN

165
164

60 59 58
58 59 60

Open

58
60
62 61

: 36 DUs/Ha

14 6

99

12 7

99

05

110

e
Garbag
Dump

64 63

: 3.94 Ha.

Density

SH OP S

128

130

78

67
66
65

57

189

13 2

100
1 01

71
70
69 68

105

107

Plot Area

20 0

144
1 45

190

19 6

12 9

PAT

108

48
53 5150 49
47
55 52
56 54

Tree

03
04

130

131

DE

106

72

103

19 5

14 3

WI

104

CH
UR
CH

1 94

Proposed Dwelling Units : 140 Nos

14

N allah

02

1 42

3M

15

AH

99

Open

73

2 02
201

166

101

LL

102

74

2 03

167

Contour

20.00

01
12.00

193

168

Proposed Trees

Circulation

NA

Off
100

19 1
19 2

2 04

Contours

16

97

98

2 06
20 5

169

13

Open

Existing Trees
A.H. W QTRS
(47-99 )

12

17

(TY
P)

172
171
170

SUB
CE N TER

E
LIN

24
24

12

Circulation

18

ound
Playgr

C OMMU NITY
H ALL
H

Run

82

75

Blair International School

Complex

11
25

95

81

77
76

10

19

94

85

83

Open

89

20 7

LAH

84

88

87

167
166
16564
1 63
1
162

NAL

86

R/W

168

2 08

Parks/Open Space
To Carb
ine Chow
k

170
169

9
20

Parks /Open Sp ace

210
20 9
173

27

Pu blic/S emi Pu blic

172

174

Public/Semi Public

26

9M

6
8

21

173

LIN

28

174

175

22

6M

Commercial

175

Commercial

29
91

92

84

78

90

Shops

93

85
83
82
81
80
79

W
R/

Residen tial

176

177

Residential

Open

Off

74

LEGEND

176

C/W

78

76

47
48

P IPE

Run
75

86

9M

80

77

73

LEGEND

178

23

79

72

87

17

179

H
PAT

68

67

50

30

Relegious

66

R/ W
69

71

2 21

180

51 49
31

70

Open

2 20

222

52

WIDE

113

111

88

53

53

65

9M

93
91
92
9089

School

52
54

G.I .

116

112

94

55

3M

133

21 9

4
1 41 4 3
14 2
1 1
13 40
9
1
14 3
N ALLA
1 9
1 424 10
H
1 44 1 43
1 45
14
6
14
7
1
48
14
3M WID
9

64

134

01
09
21
221

Open
32

117

114

96
95

33

118
115

212
34

E
LIN

131

2 13

54

35

R/W

E
PIP

132

97

21 8

214
36

9M
51

56
63

LAYOUT PLAN FOR

BAMBOO FLAT,
SOUTH ANDAMAN (R-1)

2 17

P ATH

tpath
3M Foo

129
130

2 16

Open

50

57

119

127

Water Tank

2 15

37
49

58
62
120

Open

55

38

48

R/W
59

61
135

otpath
3M Fo

126 125

99
98

9M

122

136
137

128

39

ath

77

123

Open

138

otp

roch
App

94

139

Fo

6160 58
59 57 55

9M

95

140

40

3M

47

60

62

9M

96

63

41

W ID E

97

42

3M

98

64
45

92

99

LAYOUT PLAN FOR

AUSTINABAD,
SOUTH ANDAMAN (R1)

43
44

46

93

PERMANENT SE TTLE MENTS FOR

ANDAMAN & NICOBAR I SLANDS

64

Open

82
84
81
86
85 83
88 87

1 81

79
80

89

90

91

20

DATE

0 5 10

FOR T CPO

20

FOR ANI ADMIN

40

80m

TCPO

GOVT. OF INDIA, MoUD

To Blair International Schoo

l
To Brook
shab
ad

TCPO21

22

GOVT. OF INDIA, MoUD

Repaired JETTY at KAMORTA

23

Bringing of Construction Materials at Kamota24

Permanent Shelters in A & NI Islands

25

26

Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission(JNNURM)

The M/o Urban Development,, Govt. of India launched JNNURM
programme in Dec. 2005 with Rs. 50,000 crores for 7 years.

Urban
Transport,
including roads,
highways,
expressways,
MRTS/metro projects ..
is one of the component for funding.

Hence it is important:
-to include disaster response as part of all transportation
planning (local, regional, national transit, etc.)
-consider the widest possible range of possible disaster and
stresses on transport system and evaluate the wide range of
possible solutions.

UPA Chairperson Honble Smt. Sonia Gandhi hands over

300 Permanent Houses to Tsunami victims on 28/02/2009.
27

Develop a multi modal transportation system that

can provide a variety of mobility options.

28

Concluding Remarks
Role of transport in 3 phases disaster management is understood

Need to develop Contingency Plans to allocate

-fuel,
-emergency repair,
-mechanical operations,
-priority to public transport, high occupancy vehicles,
-repair of transport infrastructure, etc in emergencies.

Create transportation system networks that provide

multiple links to each destination, including
multiple rail lines, roads, paths, bridges.
Design transportation facilities to withstand extreme
conditions ( earthquakes, storms, etc.).
29

Plan to allow quick deployment of

- buses,
- vans,
-trains, etc for emergencies services which
require an inventory of vehicles, their drivers, routes &
direction of movements.
30

 Advanced information and communications systems are

required for proper dissemination of
-Warning,
-Evacuation,
-Emergency services, etc
among residents, travelers and transport authorities.

A variety of Planning Policies and Programmes can

help create a more Resilient Transport System.
These
-increase system diversity and integration,
-improver user information,
-prioritize resource use and provide coordinated service
during special events and emergencies.

Such policies can save lives, reduce sufferings,

and provide substantial savings and benefits to
society.
31

32