Commute

In considering sustainable urban mobility as a solution to urban transport, one parameter that is constant is the Volume to Capacity ratio or V/C ratio. Why is this? Traditionally,  transportation engineering in urban areas has taken a bottom-up approach. In other words, it follows an infrastructure supply-based approach, and critical to this is the V/C ratio. This ratio is calculated using Passenger Car Unit (PCU) for every road in the given urban area to identify hotspots of congestion, so as to figure out infrastructure-based interventions like road widening, flyovers/underpasses, elevated road corridors, etc.  But over time, such interventions have proven to…

Air-conditioned coaches, swanky stations, easy ticketing options -- the infrastructure in Chennai Metro places it at par with similar commute options in developed global cities in most ways. The third largest metro in India, Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL) is also often lauded for connecting the arterial parts of the city and being the fastest mode of transportation.  But when Raghuraman K, a person with visual impairment takes the metro, he does not feel very positive about it. The tactile paving (textured tiles on the ground) doesn’t serve its purpose of assisting visually challenged people with navigation, as a result of…

What use is it if Mumbai reduces lockdown restrictions but doesnt open up its main public transport system? Unlock - 5 started from October 1 but the local trains are still restricted to a select few.  Local trains can be accessed by ‘essential workers’ by using a QR code based electronic pass system, that can be availed only through their organisations.  Subsequently, personnel from private power companies and is now stretched to include private medical staffers, aircraft maintenance personnel, private bankers and even advocates were allowed on trains. More buses are being brought in to supplement the existing BEST bus networks,…

With the onset of COVID-19, Indian cities have been working towards finding a solution for transporting citizens. Worries about maintaining social distancing has led more people to take up cycling and walking as their preferred modes of transport. Interest in cycling has picked up sharply since the COVID-19 lockdowns, with sales of cycles having risen across the country. For this trend to continue beyond the pandemic, the government needs to invest in infrastructure that favours walkers and cyclists in city spaces which are typically jam-packed with motor vehicles.  Bengaluru, which has over 1.39 lakh cyclists, has a thriving cycling culture that…

While COVID-19 is causing fatalities across the world, it also brought to focus our frailties when it comes to collective action problems. There were forced lockdowns across India, starting late March, that highlighted clean air gains from the lack of vehicle emissions. Social distancing measures and closure of gyms kept people indoors, which meant lack of activity would take a mental and physical toll after a while. Across the world this was a perfect opportunity to promote a clean, healthy and socially-distanced personal transport vehicle called the bicycle. The window of opportunity presented itself and some of us in Bengaluru…

Bengaluru has more than 50 lakh two-wheelers on its roads. Let that number sink in. These two-wheelers make up ~70% of all motorised vehicles in the city.  This staggering number of two-wheelers is often attributed to Bengaluru's inadequate and inaccessible public transportation system, whose modal share stands at a meagre 48% in comparison to 80% for Mumbai.  In a 2019 survey conducted by Bangalore Political Action Committee (B.PAC), 24% of respondents who don’t use public transport cited lack of first-mile and last-mile (FM-LM) connectivity as the major hindrance. Given the need for better connectivity to public transportation and the ubiquity…

Drone shot of a Metro station. All transport projects including Metro should be reviewed in light of COVID-induced changes, says a letter from three civic groups to the Centre. Pic: Siddharth Sriram This September 16, Hardeep Singh Puri, Centre's Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs, said no time limit could be specified for the sanction of the ORR-Airport Metro line (from Silk Board to airport). He further said that Metro projects are cost-intensive and hence require extensive inter-ministerial consultations. In this context, members from three civic groups - Bangalore Environment Trust, Praja-RAAG and Citizens for Citizens - have written to…

After supporting hundreds of ‘Cycle Days’ in Bengaluru, the Directorate of Urban Land Transport (DULT) is now inviting citizen groups to propose sustainable transport solutions in their neighbourhoods. DULT's new initiative, the Sustainable Mobility Accords (SuMA) will offer Rs 50 lakh to implement approved projects, along with the required technical expertise. In the first year of SuMA, 10 applicants will be selected. While the original deadline for submitting applications was September 30, it has now been extended to October 7. (Note: The deadline has been extended again, to October 15.) Sonal Kulkarni, Senior Transport Planner at DULT, says they are…

In the past few weeks, many Bengalureans protested the reopening of Cubbon Park to vehicles, saying this lung space needs to be protected. The 300-acre park had been closed for about five months since the imposition of COVID lockdown. The protesters pointed to examples like Central Park in New York, where city authorities have completely banned motorised traffic. Despite protests, the State Horticulture Department allowed the park to be opened to vehicles last week based on a request from the Bengaluru Traffic Police. On the morning of 24 August, some 25 citizens from the #ConcernCollective gathered at Cubbon Park, demanding…

Five months after Metro services were stopped, the BMRCL (Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation Ltd) resumed services this Monday, September 7. Metro has undergone many administrative and operational changes on account of COVID-19, but are these enough? What are the learnings from other cities across the globe? Several cities like New York, London and Hong Kong have been successfully operating their mass transit services, with a slew of safety and hygiene measures to curb COVID transmission. New York and London saw passenger numbers in subways plummet when COVID cases rocketed there in April-May. Though cases are still reported from these cities,…