Commute

Bengaluru has seen many citizen-driven campaigns around sustainable mobility. Notable among them was the 'Bus Day' campaign spearheaded by the non-profit Praja RAAG. Subsequently, several volunteer groups have campaigned for effective, efficient and reliable public transport. The BMTC (Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation) has also launched several initiatives - Pink Buses, Vayu Vajra Volvo, G8 buses and so on - to promote the use of public transport. On July 9, Citizen Matters and Radio Active hosted a Twitter chat where experts and citizens discussed the past, present and future of public transport in the city. As the COVID crisis worsens and…

As COVID-19 cases are steeply rising in Bengaluru, some citizen groups are demanding pedestrian- and cycling-friendly streets, that would help ensure social distancing in public spaces. For a start, they have sent a proposal to the state government and BBMP, specifically asking for three market streets - Commercial Street, Gandhi Bazaar and Malleswaram 8th Cross - to be closed to vehicles and be made pedestrian/cycling-friendly. The proposal was sent by the NGO Evangelical Social Action Forum (ESAF), and endorsed by groups like Citizens for Bengaluru (CfB), Malleshwaram Swabhimana Initiative, Bangalore Apartments’ Federation, CIVIC, Jhatkaa.org, Institute for Transportation and Development Policy…

When Mumbai’s lifeline, the suburban train services were abruptly halted on March 24th, as the country went into a lockdown that would stretch for weeks, the city’s public bus service, BEST, rose to the occassion to single-handedly keep the city running. At the height of the COVID lockdown, BEST buses were the only transport available in the city, transporting essential services workers to their work places and back. BEST ran special services to ferry COVID warriors to hospitals, banks and other essential locations. With most of Mumbai’s municipal, health and other essential service workers living in distant suburbs, and some…

Bengaluru is today synonymous with traffic and air pollution. Among Indian cities, Bengaluru ranked third in overall emissions and energy consumption in a recent survey by CSE (Centre for Science and Environment). PM2.5 and PM10 emissions contribute to much of the air pollution in the city, and 60-70% of these emissions originate from vehicles and road dust. Considering the high contribution of vehicle emissions to air pollution, the Karnataka Electric Vehicle and Energy Storage Policy is a welcome move. The policy targets 100% electric mobility by 2030 for certain vehicle segments — auto rickshaws, cabs, corporate fleets, school buses, public transport…

According to a 2018 Ease of Mobility Index report from the Ola Institute, Chennai emerged on top when it came to public transport usage, with 75% of the population opting for public transport; buses being the most widely used.  The MTC bus system in Chennai has proven to be most popular due to high daily frequency, capacity, affordability and accessibility. The main patrons have been those who are in lower income groups such as daily wage labourers who often have to travel long distances to their place of work. In the foreseeable future however, the daily commute of Chennai residents…

It’s called Mission Begin Again, Maharashtra’s plans to slowly remove lockdown restrictions and get life back to a new kind of normal. And one directive issued under this Mission, which came into effect from June 3rd, has brought cheer to Pune’s burgeoning cycling community. Phase I of the Mission lists the outdoor physical activities that citizens can engage in, amongst which cycling features prominently. “People are actively encouraged to use cycling as a form of physical exercise as it automatically ensures social distancing,” reads the directive issued by the state’s department of Revenue and Forest, Disaster Management and Relief and…

On the morning of Monday, June 15th, around 2000 drivers, conductors and mechanics belonging to the Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTC) staged a protest in 33 bus depots of Chennai. Thousands of front line workers -- conservancy workers and officials from government officials, also from the state secretariat -- were stranded due to the non availability of buses. MTC has not yet resumed its services for the general public, but 300 buses are operational to facilitate the commute of front line workers.  But why did the employees protest at this juncture, at a time when the city is struggling to flatten…

It’s no misnomer that Bengaluru is the Silicon Valley of India. Our daily commute around Marathahalli junction can deposit small quantities of raw materials on our body that can build up to ingredients in the manufacturing process of a semiconductor. Maybe, because of this, people working in the IT corridor exhibit some semiconductor-like properties in their work communication - “Stuck in traffic”, “In late today”, “Leaving early”, “Work from home” etc. Does this sound familiar? Marathahalli junction is among the many knotted intersections that connect to the city’s IT hub along ORR (Outer Ring Road). The bridge here was built…

The initial stringent lockdown to curb the spread of COVID-19 left many stranded far away from their hometowns and families. Those who had moved for work found themselves unable to return home as all forms of transport were suspended. Emergency travel was allowed only for those with pressing reasons and availability of a personal vehicle. With each extension of the lockdown, some relaxations were accorded. Inter-state trains for guest workers were operationalised after a large number of guest workers began travelling by foot to their homes which were hundreds of kilometres away. After more easing of lockdown norms, domestic air…

The mobility sector will witness a dramatic change post-lockdown. With physical distancing and cleanliness being emphasised, the number of people opting for personal transport could well go up in Chennai as in other cities.  While we have to learn to live with the virus we also need to ensure safe social distancing; given the likely crowds and surge in use of private vehicles, I wonder if there will be enough space for practising social distancing. The biggest problem post-lockdown is going to be gridlock. Studies in the past have shown that that Indians, on average, spend 7% of their day…