Systems Dynamics Simulation Modeling of Transit Oriented Land use Development of a Rail Corridor in Chennai
The growing concern of rapid increase in urban population and vehicular growth culminates into emerging of many metropolitan cities. In such areas, spatial distribution of activities warrant, the necessity for travel by appropriate arrangement of sub-systems in tune with the form of urban structure and routes serving it. In Chennai, the present modal split revealed that only 40% of the travel in the City is made by public transport as against a minimum of 70% recommended by the study group or alternative systems of urban transport system. The modal split between bus and train will have to change from 88:12 (2004) to 60:40 (2026). It calls for a strategy reorienting the travel by appropriately manipulating the policies so as to increase the share of Public Transport. Hence, there is an urgent need to study the land use transport interaction along the suburban rail corridor to increase patronage. The northern region suburban railway line of Chennai Metropolitan Area is taken as the study from Chennai Central to Gummidipoondi. An opinion survey has been conducted during morning and evening peak period to know the opinion of the train passenger, mode used and distance traveled from origin to station and station to destination was collected. It is found that the majority of originating points are within 2.50km from the station locations. Hence, in this study an attempt is made to find the trend of land use disposition in various periods. Land use map prepared by digital image processing methods using ERDAS Imagine 8.7 software, panchromatic aerial photograph, IRS1D, IRS P6 LISS III Digital data. As the assessment of patronage along the corridor involves a large number of complex and dynamic variables suitable simulation software, namely a dynamic package called STELLA is used to develop the model and test the same for various simulations. Application of this model to similar urban area with moderate modifications will prove to be valid. Further, the model can also be ext
