Mass rapid transit
Also called: MRT · Topic: World Transport and Communication · NCERT: Class 12, Ch 7 "Transport and Communication"
Meaning
Mass rapid transit is high-capacity public transport in cities, meaning it carries very large numbers of people quickly. Its two main forms are metro rail and bus rapid transit (BRT). BRT uses buses that run in their own special lanes. NCERT lists mass rapid transit as one of the main ways to reduce traffic congestion, along with better buses, higher parking fees and expressways. When people move from private cars to one metro train or bus, roads become less crowded.
Example
Kolkata's metro (1984) was India's first metro rail. Ahmedabad's Janmarg in Gujarat is a BRT system, and Curitiba and Bogota have well-known BRT systems too. London's underground railway (1863) is the oldest in the world.
Don't confuse with
- Commuter trains: these are suburban trains that link suburbs with the city centre, such as the Mumbai suburban railway. Mass rapid transit means high-capacity transit systems such as metro rail and BRT.
Related concepts
- Pack animals
- Ropeways and cableways
- Road transport
- Metalled and unmetalled roads
- Motorways
- Traffic congestion