Creating a Comprehensive Plan for Eco-Friendly Urban Transportation in Indian Cities

Over the past few decades, India has seen a tremendous increase in urbanization, mostly due to the country's industrial sector's rapid expansion, increased economic activity, and the availability of job possibilities. The Census of India shows that urban regions have grown significantly, which is indicative of this tendency. The number of cities with populations more than one million has increased from 35 in 2001 to 53 in 2011, and forecasts suggest that this trend will continue. The population of cities is predicted to increase to 590 million by 2031, indicating a sustained trend of urban expansion and advancement.

Urbanization's Effect on Mobility

India's swift urbanization has resulted in a notable surge in the number of journeys taken inside cities and the demand for travel. By 2030, estimates point to a sharp increase in per capita travel rates for all forms of transportation. However, there are a number of drawbacks to this increase in urban transport, such as clogged roads, accidents, and environmental damage. The largest cities affected are Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, and Chennai, which have declining air quality and significant annual costs associated with traffic congestion. Declining travel speeds during peak hours exacerbate the negative consequences of increasing urbanization on mobility, making travel more unpleasant overall and contributing to pollution in the environment.

In order to overcome these obstacles, Indian cities must build sustainable Mass Rapid Transit Systems (MRTS) using a systematic strategy. Realizing how important it is to improve public transportation, more and more cities are choosing to invest in rail-based transit systems rather than bus-based ones. The disparity between expected ridership and actual usage of metro rail systems, however, raises doubts about how effective these investments will be in addressing urban mobility issues. Furthermore, the significance of maximizing currently available transportation modes—especially buses—has been eclipsed by the overemphasis on massive rail-based projects, which has resulted in an unsustainable and fragmented public transit system in cities.

Suggestions for Indian Cities' Rapid Transit Systems:

Many governmental initiatives and recommendations have emphasized the importance of public transportation as a key area of attention for Indian urban cities. The National Urban Transport Policy, which was put into effect in 2005, served as the foundation for later programs that improved public transit in urban areas. The National Transport Development Policy Committee (NTDPC), the Urban & Regional Development Plans Formulation & Implementation Guidelines–2017 (URDPFI), and the 12th Five-Year Plan are a few examples. To further aid in the process of choosing appropriate urban public transportation, the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) has created Guidelines & Toolkits for Urban Transport Development.

These recommendations indicate the best form of public transportation for a certain city based on a number of factors, including journey duration, population density, and peak hour peak direction traffic (PHPDT). Though these recommendations provide insightful information, they could ignore other important factors like travel duration and expense, which have a direct bearing on each person's affordability and accessibility as a whole. Moreover, the rules mostly ignore the amount of money needed, concentrating instead on the technological features of various transit options. Consequently, a more thorough and knowledge-based approach to policy formation is required, especially with regard to Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities' strategic planning of Mass Rapid Transit Systems (MRTS).

Indian Cities' Public Transportation Situation:

Many Indian cities now have fast transit systems in place or have plans to put them in place, such as monorail, light rail transit (LRT), bus rapid transit (BRT), and metro rail. While metro rail systems are operational in 16 cities and under construction in six cities, the actual ridership falls short of the projected estimates outlined in Detailed Project Reports (DPRs). This disparity calls into doubt the effectiveness of large-scale rail-based projects in resolving issues related to urban mobility. Conversely, an analysis of ridership data for bus-based transit systems reveals higher commuter volumes compared to rail-based systems in most cities, despite deficiencies in bus fleet sizes.

Moreover, there is still a lack of adherence to the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs' (MoHUA) regulations governing the minimum number of buses in the fleet per lakh inhabitants in Indian cities. The difference in ridership between rail- and bus-based transit systems emphasizes the need for a more balanced approach to urban transportation planning, emphasizing the creation of new infrastructure in addition to maximizing existing modes of transportation. The integration of Mass Rapid Transit Systems (MRTS) with the current public transportation infrastructure, namely city bus systems, is becoming an essential tactic for improving productivity and meeting the various mobility requirements of urban dwellers.

In summary:

India's path to become one of the world's leading economies depends on the sustained growth of its metropolitan public transportation system. But reaching this objective calls for a more sophisticated strategy that prioritizes the efficiency of currently available transit options, especially buses, rather than building massive rail-based projects. Mass Rapid Transit System (MRTS) strategic planning needs to be informed by comprehensive policies that consider not only technological aspects, as well as elements like travel duration, expense, and personal affordability. Furthermore, efficient operation and smooth urban resident mobility depend on integration with the current public transportation infrastructure, particularly municipal bus systems. Indian cities can meet the problems brought on by the country's fast urbanization by taking a comprehensive approach to urban transportation planning and paving the way for inclusive and sustainable urban development.