Column: UrbanSuTra

Should we allow more apartments  to come up near Kanakapura Road in Bengaluru because it has a metro line that can help people living there to commute? Do we allow more tech parks near Guindy in Chennai because it is well connected by bus and suburban train? Did Mumbai grow around the local train? Are transit lines the new age rivers?Transit oriented development (ToD) or development oriented transit (DoT) -- What should it be for Indian cities? Are these some of the questions that play on your mind when you think of what is happening in our cities today in…

The year was 2010. Praja RAAG -- a non-profit dedicated to research and advocacy work on local civic issues in Bengaluru -- started the 'Namma Railu' campaign in the city with the launch of a 'Call to Action Report”.  Namma Railu was the moniker given to the campaign for Commuter Rail, also known as Suburban Rail in India. While the term commuter rail focuses on the commuter, the word suburban rail focuses on the area served, the suburbs. Both refer to the same mode, though internationally the term 'commuter rail' is used more often. An advocacy campaign was launched by…