Enhancing Rural Mobility through Demand-Responsive Transport in India: A Socio-spatial Analysis of Katol-Narkhed Subdistricts

The thesis explores the potential of Demand-Responsive Transport (DRT) systems to address critical mobility challenges in rural India, focusing on the Katol-Narkhed sub-districts of Nagpur. Traditional rural public transport, characterised by infrequent and unreliable services, fails to meet local mobility needs, hindering socio-economic development, limiting access to essential services, and widening the rural-urban divide. Key objectives of the thesis include reviewing current transport policies and their impact on rural mobility in India, briefly assessing the effectiveness of Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) services and understanding user perceptions and the need for DRT systems through a survey. The research aims to analyse the potential of the DRT system in Indian rural settings, contributing valuable insights to sustainable rural mobility solutions. The thesis contextualises rural India's transportation challenges, highlighting disparities between urban and rural systems. It then explores DRT benefits, including improved accessibility, reduced congestion, environmental impact, user satisfaction, and economic advantages. The study examines successful DRT schemes and analyses failures to extract key lessons and best practices. The methodology includes stakeholder analysis, surveys, and spatial analysis. Stakeholder analysis identifies relationships with various individuals and groups interested in the DRT system. The survey, conducted among Katol and Narkhed taluka residents, reveals a strong willingness for DRT services, with 97% of 106 respondents willing to use such a system and 90% willing to pay a higher fare than traditional bus services. Spatial analysis integrates demographic data from the 2011 Census of India, geographical data from the PMGSY National GIS portal, and bus timetable data from MSRTC. This evidence-based approach identifies underserved areas that would benefit most from DRT solutions. The thesis employs advanced spatial techniques to map existing essential infrastructure and identify service gaps. Techniques like Kernel Density Estimation (KDE) analysis, Spatial Autocorrelation, Transport Frequency Analysis, Essential Services Density Analysis, and Isochrones Analysis visualise service, population distribution, and accessibility. The layered data approach uses the H3 spatial index, a hexagonal grid system, to integrate various data layers, including population density, public transport frequency, and service availability. The final accessibility assessment identifies high-value areas and regions with significant transport deficits, guiding the strategic planning of DRT services. The thesis concludes by outlining the proposed DRT system, identifying high-value towns, service coverage areas, DRT service models, and stop locations. The DRT model integrates traditional bus services with flexible, on-demand detours to enhance last-mile connectivity, aiming to improve accessibility and mobility for residents of Katol-Narkhed subdistricts.