Commute | Citizen Matters

Fatal accidents on Hyderabad’s Biodiversity Park flyover raise questions over its design

February 13, 2020 Kolla Krishna Madhavi

Hyderabad’s first second-level flyover, inaugurated with much fanfare, had to be closed down following two grave accidents, causing three deaths and several injuries. Increasingly, fingers are being pointed at glaring design issues, especially its dangerous curves and inclines.

Will congestion pricing help Mumbaikars add an hour and a half to their day?

January 28, 2020 Hepzi Anthony

A year-long survey done in 2019 conducted by ITDP found that Mumbaikars spent an average of 85 minutes daily stuck in traffic. That also means an estimated productivity loss of over Rs 3600 crores per annum. Is congestion pricing the solution?

Heavy hearts, angry questions as Mumbai prepares to phase out double-decker buses

December 26, 2019 Hepzi Anthony

Running the iconic and popular double decker buses is economically unviable, says BEST. Activists, however, question the transport utility’s myopic approach and the wisdom of phasing out a service that holds such a special place in the hearts of Mumbaikars.

Simple tips for citizens to ensure safe journeys

December 24, 2019 Vijay Bagaria

Earlier this year, the Motor Vehicles Amendment Act 2019 was passed with a view to strengthening road safety. Despite the new law and harsher penalties for violation of traffic rules, accident headlines make it to news every other day. In the end, our safety is our responsibility.

What Chandigarh could learn from Panchkula’s successful innovations in cycle-sharing

December 18, 2019 Raj Machhan

Despite attempts, the Chandigarh administration has been unable to popularise cycles as a preferred mode of transport among people. Neighbouring Panchkula on the other hand has clocked 76000 rides in just two months since November. What did it do right?

Gurgaon Rapid Metro: A public project for private gain

December 3, 2019 Sri Krishna

Senior IAS officer Ashok Khemka’s scathing letter to the state government called attention to the irregularities in the Gurugram Rapid Metro project and how a select few real estate companies have profited from it. A look at the details

Eight months after launch, Kolkata’s ‘pink taxis’ hardly in the pink of health

November 30, 2019 Gurvinder Singh

The pink taxis launched in Kolkata in February 2019 meant to provide a safe commute option for women. They also promised to open up a new world for the 10 women drivers chosen to drive the fleet. Today, not only are they not making enough money, their days are filled with challenges on the roads and off.

How to get a FASTag for your vehicle as it becomes mandatory from December 1st

November 21, 2019 Aruna Natarajan

FASTag, a prepaid rechargeable tag that will help digitise toll collection across highways, will be mandatory for all vehicles starting this December. Here is all you need to know about the new system and how it works.

Why Bhopal wants its BRTS corridor to be dismantled after spending Rs 329 crore on it

October 31, 2019 Shuriah Niazi

Traffic chaos, commuter inconvenience and alarming accident records — on the face of it, the reasons for the public outcry against Bhopal’s ‘corridor of trouble’ seem aplenty. But does it really call for dismantling of the infrastructure? What do experts say?

Biodiesel from used cooking oil: What’s fuelling five buses in Mangalore

October 12, 2019 Harsha Raj Gatty

In Mangalore, a state government-run research centre has developed the technology to convert used cooking oil to biodiesel. Five private buses here now run on biofuel blend

How and why revival of Car Free Thursdays could help Hyderabad dispel its traffic nightmare

October 3, 2019 Prashanth Bachu

Traffic in Hyderabad is going from bad to worse, everyday, particularly in the Hitech City-Financial District area, where traffic speeds on a regular day often fall to 12-15 km/hour! Here’s an option that could help ease the situation effectively.

Many problems, one humble solution, yet Indian cities continue to ignore that

October 1, 2019 Dattatraya T Devare

Lessons learnt globally point to the many benefits of cycling — whether in terms of health, reduced congestion or even greater equality. Yet, whether in Kolkata, Bangalore or Pune, a sustained thrust to promote cycling in our cities is clearly missing.

India gets its first public battery swapping station as Ahmedabad launches 18 e-buses

September 26, 2019 Binita Parikh

The e-buses run on RTO circular routes 1 and 2, covering many key residential and business centres. The battery swapping station is at Ranip, on Route 1. Find out what else is on the cards for Ahmedabad’s e-mobility programme.

What cities pushing for bicycle sharing must learn from Bhopal’s not-so-smart experiment

September 25, 2019 Shuriah Niazi

Two years back, Bhopal’s automated bicycle sharing programme was launched amid much fanfare as one of its smart city projects. However, the scheme has seen lukewarm response at best and the factors behind this need careful attention.

Can Mumbai metro or monorail save the day as monsoon submerges the suburban lines?

September 8, 2019 Jahanvi J

Thousands of crores have been spent on these two public transport projects, but as rains throw usual life out of gear, can they really provide effective alternatives or support to the Mumbai locals, the lifeline for commuters in the city?

Mitigating the curse of the car in Indian cities

September 2, 2019 Dattatraya T Devare

On one hand, there is a thirst for bigger and more expensive cars. On the other, there is the state’s inability to provide strong enough disincentives and efficient alternatives. Together these are destroying our cities and our communities slowly but steadily. What is the way out?

The gaps in public transport that are pushing people towards private vehicles

August 27, 2019 Dattatraya T Devare

Citizens look for mainly three factors when it comes to public transportation: efficiency, accessibility, and affordability. Sadly, Indian cities have been ignoring all three, leading to an explosion of private vehicles on our streets and all the associated problems.

Yeh dil maange more: Kolkata, New Town love their e-buses, but more needed for impact

August 22, 2019 Gurvinder Singh

40 electric buses planned for 11 routes in Kolkata were pressed into service earlier this year, while the satellite town of New Town has been successfully running 3 e-buses for more than one year. How have they been faring and what’s in the offing?

Delhi, Mumbai or Bengaluru, our cities treat pedestrians as second class citizens

August 21, 2019 Dattatraya T Devare

In 2018, pedestrians comprised more than 50% fatalities on Mumbai streets; the numbers for Delhi and Bangalore stood at 44% and 40%. Our streets have turned into a battlefield between cars and citizens, and citizens almost always lose.

Where cars are king and pedestrians their slaves

August 17, 2019 Dattatraya T Devare

Thanks to lack of political will and unfortunate US-style aspiration, we have arrived at a sad state of affairs as far as urban mobility is concerned. In this first of a four-part series, the author explains the latent inequality and hierarchy in our city streets.