Commute

This is the third of the three-part analysis of various mobility policies/plans for Bengaluru that aim to regulate the use of private vehicles to reduce road traffic congestion, improve public transport, and create the right infrastructure for non-motorised transport, particularly cycling and walking through the mobility intervention. Given the problems and delays plaguing the expansion of the metro lines and suburban rail system, for Bengalureans, the city bus remains the only alternative to using personal vehicles. The financially troubled transport corporations are trying to augment their fleets and increase and improve services. One aspect of these efforts has been the…

This is the second of a three-part analysis of various mobility policies/plans for Bangalore that aim to regulate use of private vehicles to reduce road traffic congestion, improve different modes of public transport and encourage its use, and create the right infrastructure to enable and encourage safe use of non-motorised transport, particularly cycling and walking. The only way to regulate and reduce the use of private vehicles is for the city to provide different modes of affordable and efficient public transport. Ensuring availability of quality public transport services and non-motorised transport (NMT) infrastructure finds prominent mention in the approved Comprehensive…

This is the first of a three-part analysis of  various mobility policies/plans for Bengaluru that aim to regulate use of private vehicles to reduce road traffic congestion, improve different modes of public transport and encourage its use, and create the right infrastructure to enable and encourage safe use of non-motorised transport, particularly cycling and walking. COVID-induced Work From Home (WFH) has given a slight relief to Bengalureans from its perennial road traffic congestion. The last two years have seen manageable traffic around IT parks. But the situation in the CBD (Central Business District) and certain other parts of the city…

This is the first in the series -- Cycle 2 Work, with interviews of people working in diverse sectors. The series will bring to you stories of these green commuters who are cycling to work. The hope is that these stories will inspire and encourage more Bengalureans to cycle, and not drive, to work. Shilpi Sahu is an IT employee who works for Qualcomm in Bengaluru and has been cycling to work for over 10 years. “I started cycling to work in 2010 and was on and off but since 2018 I am cycling to work regularly,” says Shilpi. “I…

Since 2012, I've been working towards building a strong culture of cycling in Mumbai, way before I was appointed bicycle mayor of Mumbai. I’m not a transport planner, architect or urban planner. My work does not lie in an area where I can bring infrastructural change. But, my years of experience in advocating for non-motorised vehicles has helped me build a dialogue with authorities. The work of bicycle mayors is multifold. We work in different areas. Either you’re building a cycling culture, or you’re in transport planning and infrastructure (installing cycling stands, for example). There is also policy intervention, where…

Like millions of Mumbaikars, Prashant, a diamond broker, does the first leg of his journey to work by the local train. But on descending at Bandra station, he switches to the Yulu bike, a means of transport available only to those who work at Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC). Stationed at Anant Kanekar Marg, the powder blue electric bikes are lined up with no apparent lock in place. Named ‘Miracle’, they are lighter and thinner than a scooter, faster than a bicycle. To unlock, one has to download the Yulu bike app and scan the QR code displayed on the stem…

Chennai has made strides in cycling in the recent years. The promising start has seen many new riders take to cycling during the pandemic. Recognising the need to make the city safe for cyclists, dedicated cycling lanes have been piloted in parts of the city. While these steps augur well for the future of cycling in the city, there is a long way to go in making cycling mainstream. Cycle lane in ECR  A proposal for creating more happy streets - closure of streets for activities by citizens - came from the cycling community and has been taken up with…

According to reports in media, the average footfall on Chennai Metro Rail crossed the one lakh mark in December 2021 and on December 30th, as commuters in the city found road traffic coming to a standstill in the face of unseasonal torrential rain, 1.83 lakh passengers used the Metro on the single day to reach their destinations. While the figures may have made news, it's clearly not enough to put authorities at ease. For, according to a report by the International Association of Public Transport (UITP), if the Chennai Metro Rail Ltd were to break even, it would have to…

I recently visited my parents in Patna where their Indie-dog Julie had given birth to 8 pups. Unlike Bengaluru, Patna has limited facilities for pet care - vaccination, sterilisation, and adoption, so My brother and I decided to get them back to Bengaluru with me. We travelled with the pups by train - Here are the learnings from that experience. Travelling long distances with your furry companion can be daunting, especially if it is the first time. Advance preparations help. Before you begin your journey, take your pet to the veterinarian to make sure it is fit to travel, as…

To achieve targets under the Karnataka Electric Vehicle and Energy Storage Policy, BESCOM has set up electric vehicle (EV) charging stations at 74 locations in Bengaluru, with 136 charging points. It plans to set up 300 more charging stations in collaboration with BMRCL (Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation Ltd), BBMP, apartment RWAs (Resident Welfare Associations), etc. GoK is amending the building bylaws to have malls, apartments, and high rise buildings provide dedicated EV charging points in their parking lots. Meanwhile, apartment complexes are already witnessing an increase in EV adoption among residents, leading to a demand for charging stations. To facilitate…