CONSTRUCTION PHASE

1. Impact on Soil

 Soil Erosion: minor impact on soil erosion due to runoff from

unprotected excavated areas may result in soil erosion, especially when
erodibility of soil is high. Problems could arise from dumping of
construction soils (concrete, bricks), waste materials (from contractor’s
camp) etc. causing surface and ground water pollution.

 Compaction of soil: Soil compaction occurs when soil particles are

pressed together, reducing pore space between them. Heavily compacted
soils contain few large pores, less total pore volume and, consequently, a
greater density. A compacted soil has a reduced rate of both water
infiltration and drainage. This happens becauvse large pores more
effectively move water downward through the soil than smaller pores. In
addition, the exchange of gases slows down in compacted soils, causing
an increase in the likelihood of aeration-related problems.

2. Impact on Air

 Dust generation: During construction, there may be a localized and

temporary reduction in air quality as a result of dust and particulate
generation. It is considered to be significant, with the potential to
affect workers on‐site.
Construction dust emission (CDE) originates from many types of
 onsite activities such as excavation, drilling, bulk material
transportation, loading and unloading, open-air material storage,
concrete and mortar making, cutting and filling, and the movement of
equipment. These activities release the calcium element of PM2.5,
which is a component of construction dust and an environmental
pollutant. In effect, construction dust forms a nuisance to site worker
and has adverse off-site impacts on local communities. The existence
of construction dust in the human lung can result in diseases such as
silicosis, bronchitis, the obstruction of trachea, and occupational
asthma.
Construction dust can seriously damage the health of construction
workers and if exposed for longer times can eventually even kill them.

 Asphalt: Petroleum-based asphalt is a high-VOC (volatile organic

compound) substance. As the product is converted to asphalt,
significant quantities of harmful gases are released into the
atmosphere. Likewise, the process of producing cement for concrete
requires high levels of heat and generates substantial VOC emissions.
The application and curing of the applied asphalt add even more
harmful material to the air. Additionally, some areas still use high-
VOC paints for striping roads and parking lots, adding another
unsustainable element to the process of road and parking lot
construction.

 Emissions: missions of pollutants during the testing and start‐up

phase of the Project. The gaseous emissions may include: NOx, CO2,
CO, NH3, SOx, and particulate matter. The start‐up phase is necessary
to enable testing of the machinery and installations. The start‐up/pre‐
commissioning stage generally lasts for few weeks. During
 construction, there may be a localized and temporary reduction in air
quality as a result of emissions from site machinery and equipment.
Furthermore, heavy equipment such as bulldozers and other
construction equipment will produce exhaust emissions from diesel
engines leading to temporary increase in SOx, NOx, and CO2
concentrations. Emissions may occur in the event of an emergency.

3. Impact on Water

 Stagnant water pools in quarries

 Decreased ground water: Groundwater is a major VEC that needs to be

preserved and monitored during the construction of the Project.
The local community mainly uses underground water for subsistence and
agricultural activites. The project does not intend to use underground
water – the plan is to focus on taking water from the nearby Ossiomo
River located beside the site for the Project freshwater intake.
Groundwater quality may be affected by construction activities as well as
by the occurrence of non‐routine events. The key accidental event risk is
mainly attributable to seepage of contaminants from accumulation of
solid wastes or inappropriate sanitation facility. Groundwater quality may
also be impacted by inappropriate waste disposal and spillages during
construction. Inadequate management of construction materials and fuel
could lead to spillages, notably of machine oil. Other hazardous
substances that may be in use during the construction phase include
paints, solvents, acids, and bases. A spill prevention and response plan
should be completed to prevent any effects to groundwater.
 Increased water demand: The water requirement during construction of
project will go up for activities which includes labour camps, drinking
and construction activities.

 Discharge: On-site construction activates may cause water pollution from

uncontrolled discharge of debris and rubbish such as packaging,
construction materials and refuse etc; and spillages of liquid stored on-
site, such as oil, diesel and solvents etc.

4. Impact on Flora and Fauna

 Loss of ground for vegetation: During the construction phase of the

Project, there will be an overall loss of terrestrial habitat, for example,
loss of feeding areas, cover and nesting of fauna.
 Removal of vegetation: For the construction of depots and roads for
BRTS, trees would be cleared out.
 Disturbance to animals: During construction habitat destruction may
occur where a habitat is removed to make way for a new development.
Plants and sessile animals in these areas are usually directly impacted
generally resulting in alteration or reduction in biodiversity. Mobile
animals (especially birds and mammals) retreat into remnant patches
of habitat. There is the potential for noise from construction activities
to disturb fauna resulting in their relocation and thus reducing the
biodiversity of an area.
 5. Noise Pollution

The major sources of noise pollution during construction are movement of

vehicles for transportation of construction material and the construction
machinery/equipment at the construction site. The construction activities are
expected to produce noise levels in the range of 104 - 109 dB (A) at source
which decreases with increase in distance. Exposure to noise may lead to
complete hearing loss, tension, fatigue, fast pulse/ respiration rates, dizziness &
loss of balance, anger, irritation & in extreme case nervousness.

6. Traffic Diversion

During construction period, partial traffic diversions on road will be required, as

most of the construction is to be carried out on the middle of the road.
At this stage, there will be an increase in traffic because of the material
transportation and heavy equipment that load the roads in the material route,
road diversion and narrowed road.

7. Muck Disposal

The construction activity will generate muck. The muck will be transported up
to nearest proposed option. Muck generated from the project component is
required to be disposed in a planned manner so that it takes a least possible
space and is not hazardous to the environment. Being the good road condition in
Ahmedabad, the dust generation due to transportation of muck will be
insignificant.
 8. Health risk at construction site

There have been big improvements over recent years in reducing the number
and rate of injuries to construction workers. Despite this, construction remains a
high-risk industry and accounts for a high percentage of fatal and major injuries.
Health risks include accidents due to improper construction practice and hazard
diseases due to lack of sanitation facilities (i.e., water supply and human waste
disposal).

9. Employment Opportunities

Construction activities would lead to employment opportunities. In order to

build anything, being it a large scale project like an airport or even a small
house, on one hand you need a relevant chain of suppliers and service providers.
This is where a high impact on society may be of close relation to Construction:
in order to successfully complete a construction project there must exist
companies that were open before and will remain open after that project is
completed.
OPERATION PHASE

1. Reduction in fatalities due to road accident

The number of vehicles plying on mixed lane would have been higher “without
BRTS project” scenario than “with BRTS project” scenario. This would have
lead to higher number of road accidents. To support this view, the experience of
the Naroda-Narol stretch is taken into consideration. This particular stretch,
because of the number of accidents it took place, was called “The Killer Road”.
If the statistics sourced from the Ahmedabad Traffic Department by CEPT are
to be believed, at least four people lost their lives in road accidents on the
Narol-Naroda stretch alone every month. It comes down to around 48 accidents
a year in the year 2006. When the BRTS was introduced toward the end of the
year 2010, it was observed that two people died every month on this route due
to road accident (i.e. 24 people died in that year due to road accident). Such
fatal accidents dropped by 50 percent in the year 2011 as only 12 people died
due to road accident on this route. The total number of accidents on this stretch
has come down from 183 in 2006 to 151 in 2010 (when BRTS was launched) to
147 in 2011.

2. Reduction in diseases caused due to air pollution

 Vehicle emissions namely; CO2, CO, SPM (PM2.5 & PM10), NOx, HC,
and other air toxins are damaging effects on both human health and
ecology. They impose both direct and indirect threat on the well being of
the human being right from reduced visibility to cancers and death in
some cases of acute exposure of pollutants especially carbon monoxide
 (CO). These pollutants are believed to directly affect the respiratory and
cardiovascular systems. In particular, high levels of Sulphur dioxide and
Suspended Particulate Matter are associated with increased mortality,
morbidity and impaired pulmonary function.
Hence, there is a dire need to reduce the menace of vehicular air
pollution. Public transport services like BRTS ensure that it takes away a
number of passenger vehicles off the roads. This facilitates reduced
vehicle pollution due to lower number of vehicles.
 Local air pollutants, such as carbon monoxide and particulate matter,
pose environmental and public health concerns. By forcing the retirement
of less- efficient, older transport vehicles, BRT systems can have a
positive impact on smog, local pollution, and the health of city residents.
Because local air pollutants primarily impact individual health, this
benefit is treated as a public health impact

3. Travel time savings

Dedicated bus lanes separate BRT buses from mixed traffic, allowing them to
travel more quickly through a city. Pre-paid boarding and level platforms –
reminiscent of a metro station rather than the traditional bus stop - speed up
passenger boarding, while traffic signal management that prioritizes BRT buses
and high-frequency bus service minimizes waiting times.

4. Employment Opportunities
Operation and maintenance of BRT systems can create jobs. This may result in
a net increase in the number of employed people, or merely a shift of workers
from one job or sector to another. In many cases, BRT systems create new jobs
in the formal economy that replace informal jobs from the existing traditional
transport system.

5. Crime Impacts

 By providing well-lit stations staffed with security personnel, security

cameras on buses and in stations and pedestrian-scale lighting around
stations, BRT systems can create a safer environment in those areas they
serve.
 On the other hand, crowded stations and buses may increase petty crime
such as pick-pocketing within the BRT system.

6. Property expropriation and resettlement

Usually the greatest concern in social appraisal of infrastructure projects is with

property expropriation and involuntary resettlement. Normally BRT systems
will be designed in such a way as to minimize involuntary resettlement, and in
fact BRTS frequently make it possible for municipalities to put off or stop all
together new road projects which would have much higher levels of involuntary
resettlement.

7. System Sociability
Public transport systems can also provide one of the few places in a city where
all social groups are able to meet and interact. An affordable and high- quality
system can attract customers from low income, middle income and high income
sectors. This role as a common public good can be quite healthy in creating
understanding and easing tensions between social groups. The new system may
also mean that persons who previously had no travel options now can visit the
entire city.

8. Reduced Noise Pollution

Due to rapid urbanization and the corresponding increase in the number of

vehicles on Indian roads, the pollution is increasing at an alarming rate in most
of Indian metropolitan cities. The noise levels are showing an alarming rise and
in fact the levels exceed the prescribed levels in most of the areas. Noise
emitted from traffic contributes about 55 % of total noise pollution in India.
Noise degrades the quality of life by affecting physical as well as mental status
of person. A number of acute and chronic effects on humans are found due to
exposure to traffic. It can cause disturbance in sleep, annoyance, mental
disorders, hearing loss, and adverse physiological and psychological impacts.
BRTA substantially reduces the vehicular traffic which ultimately reduces noise
level.

9. Increase Water demand

For the purpose of maintenance of depots and the busses, the demand for water
would go up.
 10. Benefit to Economy

Introduction of BRTS, in Ahmedabad city will result in the reduction in number

of private vehicles. This, in turn will result in significant social and economic
benefits due to reduction in fuel consumption, vehicle operating cost and travel
time of passengers. This will facilitate the movement of people fast.

11. Increased fuel efficiency

Along with reducing air pollution, public transportation is also more fuel
efficient per passenger mile, which contributes to an overall decrease in the
amount of energy necessary for transportation. APTA states that public
transportation in the US is responsible for saving 4.2 billion gallons of gasoline
each year.

12. Increases mobility

For those who don't, or can't, drive, public transportation allows them to get to
work, to school, to the grocery store or doctor's office, or just to visit friends,
without having to engage a friend or relative to do the driving.