Commute

In Part 1 of this series, we saw that pedestrians are at high risk on Bengaluru streets, especially groups like children and the elderly. In this part, we look at solutions to this problem. In the wake of COVID-19, Bengaluru, like many other cities worldwide, was put under a strict lockdown. During this time, as people stayed indoors and only left their homes to visit healthcare centers or to shop for essentials, they avoided long-distance travel. Hence hyper-local mobility increased; trips were made mostly on foot.  Car travel reduced drastically, and significant improvements were observed in traffic congestion, air quality…

For the past three years, Seema, a 35-year-old healthy woman has been running all outdoor errands for her family. She lives with her six-year-old son, her 42-year-old wheelchair-ridden husband, and a 70-year-old mother-in-law in a humble middle-income household. After her husband met with a road accident and lost his ability to walk, the family has been increasingly cautious about their outdoor activities.  Seema’s aged mother-in-law and disabled husband almost never leave the house unless a special van is rented. Seema always walks her son to and from the school bus, and at no time is he allowed to walk by…

With transportation identified as a major environment polluter, the move from fossil fuels to electric vehicles is seeing a major push from central and state governments. Consumers too are warming to the idea of switching to electric vehicles (EVs) for personal transport given that both petrol and diesel prices have crossed the Rs 100 per litre mark. Are we ready for this? ​ ADDA, the apartment management software platform and Citizen Matters organised an online panel discussion with different stakeholders on September 29th to look at possible solutions. The discussion focussed on how gated communities, in particular, could facilitate this…

The Institute of Transportation and Development Policy (ITDP) is working with the Greater Chennai Corporation to finalize the city’s new parking management policy. The ITDP said that the goals of the new framework included reducing the demand for parking and reclaiming on-street parking spots for sustainable modes of transport – the expectation is that the new policy will minimize traffic congestion, air pollution and accidents.  “In many Indian cities, the phenomenal growth in ownership of private motor vehicles, combined with dwindling investments in public transport, has resulted in streets choked with traffic. Haphazard parking takes up significant real estate on-street…

As the second wave of COVID has abated, Bengalureans are getting out and about. Many need transport services to go to work or for chores, but bus services by the BMTC (Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation) are yet to catch up. In fact, the services have not even gotten back to the levels of last March, just before the second wave struck.  Bus numbers and schedules lower than in March During the first COVID lockdown in March 2020, BMTC had stopped all of its services except those for frontline workers. Services started picking up gradually, especially after the first wave of…

I started commuting to work by cycle in 2011, to avoid the stress of getting stuck in traffic jams on the Outer Ring Road (ORR). Surprisingly, I found that cycling was not as hard as I imagined it to be. Slowly, my frequency of cycling increased, and while the traffic jams on ORR, Whitefield and Sarjapura Road peaked too, it hardly affected me. I was riding a 23-km round trip everyday to work, come what may! Cycling brought immense flexibility and freedom to my schedule. Now, due to COVID and the work-from-home option, the number of commuters including cyclists have…

Once upon a time, Hyderabad was the ‘City of Cycles’. Ask old timers and they will tell you how the streets were full of cyclists, a complete contrast to the congested mess of cars and motorised vehicles that have taken over all roads, big and small. In olden days, it was much safer for cyclists too, because there were fewer motor vehicles on the roads and therefore, the risk of cyclists meeting with serious or fatal accidents was low. Things, however, have changed drastically now. As the Bicycle Mayor of Hyderabad, I am in close touch with the cycling community…

Bangalore Political Action Committee (B.PAC), a citizens' group, in collaboration with Karnataka government's Directorate of Urban Land Transport (DULT), released a report on their 'Livelihood Cyclists Survey', on September 30. The report highlighted the needs and requirements of the cyclist while he/she is riding the cycle across the city, to understand their concerns regarding traffic on the roads, parking facility and other infrastructure. Cycling is one of the most sustainable modes of transport with zero dependence on fossil fuels, zero emissions, making it an affordable transport option. Bicycles have always had an important role in the informal sector, especially in…

பண்டைய காலந்தொட்டு இன்று வரை மிதிவண்டிகள் மக்களால் அன்றாட போக்குவரத்திற்கும், உடல் பயிற்சிக்கும் பயன்படுத்தபடுகின்றது. இதனால் வரும் பல பயன்களை பின்வருமாறு பட்டியலிடலாம். மன ஆரோக்கியம் மேம்படுதல், பயணங்களில் பல புதிய மனிதர்களையும், புதிய இடங்களை சந்தித்தல், கவன குவிப்பு மேம்படுதல், நம் நுரையீரல் பலமடைதல், தேவையற்ற உடல் பருமன் அறவே நீக்கபடுதல், உடல் தசைகள் பலமடைதல், நோய் எதிர்ப்புத் திறன் கூடுதல் போன்ற பல. தலைக்கவசம், மிதிவண்டிக்கான பிரத்தயோக உடை அணிந்து பல ஆடவரும் பெண்டிரும் சாரை சாரையாக அதிகாலையில் விரைந்து செல்லும் காட்சியைக்காண சிலருக்குத்தான் நல்வாய்ப்பு கிட்டுகின்றது. நெதர்லாந்து நாட்டின் ஆம்ஸ்திடராங்கை தலைமையாகக் கொண்டு உலகமெங்கும் செயல்படும் பிவைசிஸ் எனப்படும் தன்னார்வல அமைப்பு “மிதிவண்டி மேயர்கள்” என்று சிலரை நியமனம் செய்திருக்கின்றது. 2030க்குள் உலகிலுள்ள மனிதர்களில் 50 சதவிகதமாவது அன்றாட போக்குவரத்திற்கு மிதிவண்டியை பயன்படுத்த வைப்பது அவர்களின் குறிக்கோள். தென்னிந்தியாவில் சென்னை, பெங்களூரு, ஐதராபாத், மும்பை போன்ற நகரங்களில்…

Namma Metro construction on Outer Ring Road (ORR) is just starting. If the speed of execution on other lines is anything to go by, the next few years could very well be hell for residents living off ORR. But it need not be torturous. It is possible for the BMRCL (Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation Ltd) to follow certain steps to ensure daily life is not inconvenienced while construction goes on. Unfortunately, we have no regulations or guidelines on how to execute civic projects without putting citizens through risk and pain. Here, though, are some pointers for BMRCL to consider and…