New agreement will help ensure success of city’s bus-rapid-transit system

INDORE, INDIA, February 28, 2008 – The residents of Indore, India should enjoy reduced emissions, congestion, and improved pedestrian safety a little sooner. That’s because Vivek Aggarwal, executive director of Indore City Transport Services Limited (ICTS), has signed a commitment to partner with EMBARQ - the WRI Center for Sustainable Transport, to receive technical assistance to develop the Indore bus-rapid-transit system.

The in-kind assistance from EMBARQ involves collaborating with ICTS to improve the quality and timely delivery of all aspects of the innovative transport system that Indore is currently developing. EMBARQ will bring to the project its experience implementing the Metrobus Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) corridor in Mexico City, and assisting the cities of Porto Alegre, Brazil; Istanbul, Turkey; and Arequipa, Peru, in their efforts to develop sustainable transport solutions.

“The Indore BRTS Metro Jet is a model for Indian and international cities alike,” said Dario Hidalgo, new business development director and senior transport engineer at EMBARQ. “We will provide the local planning and implementation team with our international experience, ensuring the project continues to meet the highest standards.” Hidalgo was part of the team that crafted the TransMilenio in Bogotá, Colombia, and has collaborated with several other governments and international organizations in planning BRT systems around the world.

“EMBARQ’s assistance encourages us to continue our efforts to deliver a world-class transit system for Indore,” noted Aggarwal. “We know we have several challenges ahead to complete our project. The partnership with EMBARQ helps us address these challenges faster, better and cheaper, for the benefit of the people of Indore.”

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Established in May 2002, EMBARQ - The World Resources Institute Center for Sustainable Transport - acts as a catalyst for socially, financially, and environmentally sound solutions to the problems of urban mobility. EMBARQ receives support from its global strategic partners the Shell Foundation and the Caterpillar Foundation. EMBARQ activities in India are also sponsored under the SUMA program of CAI-Asia.