Smart cities need smart transport solutions

As India’s population continues to grow at an alarming rate, it brings with it the related problems of pollution and unchecked migration to cities. Last year, a study by the World Health Organization showed Delhi to be the world’s most polluted city. The capital’s air has the highest concentration of PM2.5 — particulate matters less than 2.5 microns. Such high levels of air pollution can cause respiratory disorders, other health problems and in some cases, even fatalities. That our capital city holds this dubious distinction is a matter of great shame.

A McKinsey study says that by 2030, 590 million will inhabit India’s cities and 70 per cent of new employment will be generated in urban areas. Cities are drivers of economic growth and going ahead, their role in strengthening the national economy is only going to get pronounced. Urbanization, if unchecked, brings along with it problems that directly affect human and environmental health. As a result, the challenge before India now is to create cities of the future that are able to meet the demands of an ever-growing population and this, without compromising on sustainability and energy efficiency.

Smart transport solutions – The need of the hour

Even as Indian cities continue to expand, infrastructure growth is unable to keep pace with urbanization. From large amounts of untreated sewage to mind-bogglingly high levels of pollution, urban India is caught in a maze of problems. To cope with increasing urbanization, India is in dire need of smart, cost-effective and efficient solutions. No wonder, there was cheer last year among urban planners and the general public when the BJP government announced its plan of creating 100 smart cities in India in the coming years. This idea has the ability to transform India’s landscape and improve the living conditions of its population.

When it comes to creating a city, mobility is one of the key issues that needs utmost attention. After all, people need to get from one place to another, be it for work or personal reasons. This necessitates investing in smart and sustainable transport solutions, Old vehicles must be replaced with new ones, those that are efficient, conserve energy and save costs.

Digital technology must be leveraged to create smart parking systems that make economic use of space and free up blocked spaces. Traffic is the bane of public life in cities. We need traffic management systems that will help reduce chaos, waiting time of vehicles and transit time. We must ensure that the new airports, railway stations and metro stations we create comply with green ratings.

According to projections made by Energy Information Administration (EIA), India’s emissions continue to soar from 2020 onward. What’s worse is that India has 13 of the 25 world’s most polluted cities. Smart transport solutions and green initiatives will go a long way in countering the harmful effects of pollution and climate change.

Though a lot of ground remains to be covered when it comes to introducing transport reforms, the government is taking encouraging steps in that direction.

Towards a better future

A FICCI report on smart, sustainable and inclusive cities lists the following initiatives undertaken by the government in the transport sector:

-- The Government of India has approved a USD 4.13 billion plan to spur electric and hybrid vehicle production by setting an ambitious target of 6 million vehicles by 2020.

-- Electric vehicle charging stations in all urban areas and along all state and national highways by 2027.

-- Ministry of Urban Development plans to invest more than USD 20 billion on the metro rail projects in coming years. 

-- The proposed 534 km Mumbai- Ahmedabad high speed rail project will have an investment of around USD 10.5 billion. 

-- India’s first monorail project at Mumbai costs around USD 500 million, of which USD 183 million has been spent on phase I.

Robust transport system is the backbone of any urban establishment and as India works towards realizing its ‘100 Smart Cities’ vision, this assumes all the more importance. Following are some of the advantages of fortifying public transport:

-- Less dependence on private transport-- Reduction in traffic jams-- Decrease in pollution levels-- Intelligent parking management systems-- Revenue generation for the city/state

All these advantages will collectively lead to an improvement in the standard of living of citizens. As a result, it is imperative that future cities include transport system in their blueprint itself and not treat it as an independent entity.

Now, as our government draws the contours of the ‘100 Smart Cities’ initiative, it remains to be seen how transportation fits into the whole scheme of things.