Page 49 - Shashwat Let Nature Be - Approach to Integrated Sustainability
P. 49
Engaging More this issue, urban bodies have made
Ridership significant efforts in making the metro
A brief look at the revenue stream of system comfortable and aesthetically
pleasing. Many stations have displayed
DMRC suggests almost 80 per cent graffiti art, and some have been even
is earned from traffic ridership. An tailored to host contemporary art
increase in ridership could directly exhibitions in the premises, generating
impact profit stream. One of the more public attention.
principal factors encouraging usage of
public transportation is how densely it Untapped Potential of
is networked in the city, also known as Travel Data
“last-mile connectivity”. The narrow
size of streets in many parts of the city The potential of smart card is multi-
makes it impossible for public buses to dimensional. Introduction of payment
navigate. Therefore, informal mobility via smart card for the Delhi Metro
solutions like tuk-tuks (autorickshaws) expedited the overall commute, in
and innovative services like taxi addition to convincing office-goers,
applications, ride-sharing and so who preferred driving, to switch their
on, have undergone rapid growth. mode of commute. The switch, no
Increasing parking space, introduction matter how small, would result in described as “a combination of data,
of electric tuk-tuks and electric bus lowering the carbon footprint of the analysis and recommendation to guide
fleet would take substantial time to city. Further, the travel data collected elected officials, community leaders
show improvement in the quality from such systems could be used for and transportation planners to move
of riding. studying travel behaviours, and later, Miami forward, together.”
9
Creating bicycle lanes could be in policymaking by the city council.
another solution, but the feasibility Newer methods like big data analytics Conclusion
of high ridership is uncertain and could be implemented for traffic
depends on weather, air quality, and prediction, regulation, and so on. The mere availability of public
distance covered. The success of bicycle The presence of a strong watchdog transportation is not enough to realize
platforms would also rely on the NGO to critically analyse the the goal of a sustainable transport
safety of riding in city traffic, which is policies and decisions of urban system. Factors such as inclusiveness
controlled only in patches. A survey development bodies is indispensable. – both in the form of accessibility and
undertaken by UNEP (sample size ~ These organizations improve affordabilityt are important to paint a
1100) suggests, only 7–12 per cent of citizens’ participation, resulting in complete picture of sustainable urban
metro riders use private cars for last- consideration by the decision-makers transportation. This article highlights
mile connectivity (to and from metro for a better development. Moreover, many context-specific challenges that
stations) while less than 1 per cent it would strengthen dissemination of the metro system in Delhi face, along
use bicycles. These data sets suggest information to the public and make with some solutions at multiple levels.
7
a rather doubtful situation for the the system more transparent. For The important lesson learnt is that
investment in separate bicycle lanes. example, a non-profit organization how externalities can change from
Another reason for unequal called Transit Alliance runs many positive to negative due to lack of
distribution of ridership across the campaigns in Miami (Florida) to systemic thinking in urban planning
city is that commuters with private improve the public transit of the process. As urban areas in India,
vehicles are considered superior than city. Their initiative of introducing a and elsewhere, grapple with growing
those who travel by public transport. mobility scorecard to gauge the health urbanization, climate change, and
Due to disparate social and economic and performance of the city’s transit pollution, sustainable and innovative
strata across the city, some of the system gained huge popularity among transportation planning can reduce
metro stations experience significant the residents. Their system has been adverse environmental impacts
ridership while others do not, while enhancing socio-economic
making the existing infrastructure sustainability. The list of challenges for
less profitable. In order to cope with Available online at https://www.citylab.com/ any metro system, presented through
8
transportation/2017/12/can-the-affluent-be-
convinced-to-ride-transit-in-delhi/547775/; this article, is not limited to the
last accessed on October 11, 2019. discussed subjects, and invites further
7 Refer to Footnote 6. 9 Bagchi, M., P.R. White. 2005. The potential of
8 Malhotra, Ashish. 2017. Can the Affluent public transport smart card data. Transport quantitative and qualitative research
Be Convinced to Ride Transit in Delhi? Policy, p. 464–474. and analysis for better perspective. p DECEMBER 2019
| 47 |
Ridership significant efforts in making the metro
A brief look at the revenue stream of system comfortable and aesthetically
pleasing. Many stations have displayed
DMRC suggests almost 80 per cent graffiti art, and some have been even
is earned from traffic ridership. An tailored to host contemporary art
increase in ridership could directly exhibitions in the premises, generating
impact profit stream. One of the more public attention.
principal factors encouraging usage of
public transportation is how densely it Untapped Potential of
is networked in the city, also known as Travel Data
“last-mile connectivity”. The narrow
size of streets in many parts of the city The potential of smart card is multi-
makes it impossible for public buses to dimensional. Introduction of payment
navigate. Therefore, informal mobility via smart card for the Delhi Metro
solutions like tuk-tuks (autorickshaws) expedited the overall commute, in
and innovative services like taxi addition to convincing office-goers,
applications, ride-sharing and so who preferred driving, to switch their
on, have undergone rapid growth. mode of commute. The switch, no
Increasing parking space, introduction matter how small, would result in described as “a combination of data,
of electric tuk-tuks and electric bus lowering the carbon footprint of the analysis and recommendation to guide
fleet would take substantial time to city. Further, the travel data collected elected officials, community leaders
show improvement in the quality from such systems could be used for and transportation planners to move
of riding. studying travel behaviours, and later, Miami forward, together.”
9
Creating bicycle lanes could be in policymaking by the city council.
another solution, but the feasibility Newer methods like big data analytics Conclusion
of high ridership is uncertain and could be implemented for traffic
depends on weather, air quality, and prediction, regulation, and so on. The mere availability of public
distance covered. The success of bicycle The presence of a strong watchdog transportation is not enough to realize
platforms would also rely on the NGO to critically analyse the the goal of a sustainable transport
safety of riding in city traffic, which is policies and decisions of urban system. Factors such as inclusiveness
controlled only in patches. A survey development bodies is indispensable. – both in the form of accessibility and
undertaken by UNEP (sample size ~ These organizations improve affordabilityt are important to paint a
1100) suggests, only 7–12 per cent of citizens’ participation, resulting in complete picture of sustainable urban
metro riders use private cars for last- consideration by the decision-makers transportation. This article highlights
mile connectivity (to and from metro for a better development. Moreover, many context-specific challenges that
stations) while less than 1 per cent it would strengthen dissemination of the metro system in Delhi face, along
use bicycles. These data sets suggest information to the public and make with some solutions at multiple levels.
7
a rather doubtful situation for the the system more transparent. For The important lesson learnt is that
investment in separate bicycle lanes. example, a non-profit organization how externalities can change from
Another reason for unequal called Transit Alliance runs many positive to negative due to lack of
distribution of ridership across the campaigns in Miami (Florida) to systemic thinking in urban planning
city is that commuters with private improve the public transit of the process. As urban areas in India,
vehicles are considered superior than city. Their initiative of introducing a and elsewhere, grapple with growing
those who travel by public transport. mobility scorecard to gauge the health urbanization, climate change, and
Due to disparate social and economic and performance of the city’s transit pollution, sustainable and innovative
strata across the city, some of the system gained huge popularity among transportation planning can reduce
metro stations experience significant the residents. Their system has been adverse environmental impacts
ridership while others do not, while enhancing socio-economic
making the existing infrastructure sustainability. The list of challenges for
less profitable. In order to cope with Available online at https://www.citylab.com/ any metro system, presented through
8
transportation/2017/12/can-the-affluent-be-
convinced-to-ride-transit-in-delhi/547775/; this article, is not limited to the
last accessed on October 11, 2019. discussed subjects, and invites further
7 Refer to Footnote 6. 9 Bagchi, M., P.R. White. 2005. The potential of
8 Malhotra, Ashish. 2017. Can the Affluent public transport smart card data. Transport quantitative and qualitative research
Be Convinced to Ride Transit in Delhi? Policy, p. 464–474. and analysis for better perspective. p DECEMBER 2019
| 47 |
