Having lived for over five decades in three of India’s largest cities and experienced firsthand their unerring descent into decrepitude, when someone declares that not one or two or a dozen but 100 smart Indian cities will be built, it’s hard not to be sceptical.

 

 
Mumbai Metro (HT Photo/Kalpak Pathak)

India’s cities are a shameful mess: the big, older ones, the small ones and even the fledgling new ones. Mumbai may be the financial nerve of India but it is no more than a rapidly degenerating slum; fast-expanding s and its spread, now known as the NCR, is a perfect example of how not to anticipate that growth; as for Kolkata, it always miraculously manages to breach your belief that nothing could be worse.Over the years, instead of improving, the quality of life in each of these three cities — ones that I have grown up and worked in — has declined to grievous levels. 

 

In smaller cities, things are worse. In 2011, the urban development ministry surveyed 1,405 cities in 12 Indian states and found that more than half of them do not have access to either piped water supply or sewage systems; that 80% of the households there get water for less than five hours a day; and, more gravely, more than 70% do not have access to toilets. Between 2001 and 2011, India’s urban population grew from 27% to 31% but urban infrastructure hopelessly lagged behind. Far from being anywhere near smart, our cities are rather dumb.The future could be bleaker. A year before the government survey, a McKinsey Global Institute report estimated that the number of Indians living in cities would grow from 340 million in 2008 to 590 million in 2030.

Thirteen cities would have more than four million residents and half the population in five states would be urbanised. To keep pace with that, India would have to spend $1.2 trillion or nearly 70% of last year’s GDP on cities.

 

Noida Expressway (HT Photo/Sunil Ghosh) 

The government wants to build 100 new smart cities that would rely on technology to create world-class urban infrastructure and — on paper — that could seem great. The idea, say urban development officials, is to use information technology as a tool to provide efficient-energy systems, clean drinking water and sewage disposal.

Infotech certainly is a tool. In Delhi, the municipal corporation has an online system to disburse death and birth certificates and enable people to pay their bills and property taxes; in Bangalore, infotech is used to relay real time information on bus timings, congested routes and so on; and, even in a smaller city such as Indore, the traffic police have installed infrared devices to nab rule violators.

Pretty smart stuff, all of that. But the real challenges that India’s cities, burdened by a relentless surge of migration and population growth, face is about resources. In 2007, the supply of water available to cities was 56 billion litres a day compared to a demand for 83 billion litres; by 2030, demand may soar to 189 billion litres but supply will still be around 95 billion litres.

Similar burgeoning gaps are predicted for sewage disposal, availability of mass transportation, electricity, housing and roads. Infotech, however smart, cannot sort those shortfalls out.

In the quest to build smart cities, you’ll likely see government officials, planners and their ilk make frequent sorties across the world to study cases — in China, Singapore and elsewhere — that have managed to balance high urban demand with adequate infrastructure, but the fear is if India doesn’t fix the dystopian nightmare its existing cities face, building 100 new smart ones could remain a utopian dream.

 

 

After Gurgaon, it is Delhi’s turn to reclaim the streets. In a unique initiative to promote sustainable public transport, Delhi Police and New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) along with civic society members are organizing Raahgiri Day at Connaught Place on Sunday. The event, which will be organized on every Sun day morning, is supported by The Times of India.Raahgiri is a unique concept to free up a section of the city’s roads from traffic once a week and open it up to citizens to walk, cycle, jog, skate, or even dance. On Sunday , the event will start with a mega cycle rally followed by a wide range of cultural and sports events, including musical performances by Manzil Group and Delhi Drummers, a rock band.For the rally, rent-free cycles will be avail able at the venue for visitors. Delhi Police will cordon off Inner Circle in Connaught Place and parts of Kasturba Gandhi Marg for motorists from 6am to 9am to provide space for cyclists, joggers and skaters.

Muktesh Chander, special commissioner of police (traffic), said, “The aim is to promote walking and cycling. More than 50% of the road fatalities involve cyclists and pedestrians. This is an opportunity for all of us to make city roads safer for cyclists and pedestrians.There is a need to create adequate infrastructure for them”.

Modelled on the Ciclovia festival of Bogota in Colombia—a weekly event that’s been held for more than three decades now— Raahgiri aims at promoting sustainable transport and encourage people to engage in outdoor activity. “The idea is to encourage cycling and walking among residents and also promote the use of public transport to de-clutter city roads. We want people to engage in outdoor activity. People can come out and enjoy on a Delhi road,” said Jalaj Srivastava, chairman, NDMC.

In Gurgaon, NGOs like Embarq India have been successfully organizing Raahgiri Day where people come and take part in all kinds of outdoor activities. “Delhi is critical when it comes to urban planning and transport. We want the government to keep pedestrians and cyclists in mind while planning urban infrastructure. It is equally important to encourage people to indulge in outdoor activities. Through Raahgiri, we

Modelled on the Ciclovia festival of Bogota in Colombia–a weekly event that’s been held for more than three decades now-Raahgiri aims at promoting sustainable transport and encourage people to engage in outdoor activity. “The idea is to encourage cycling and walking among residents and also promote the use of public transport to de-clutter city roads. We want people to engage in outdoor activity . People can come out and enjoy on a Delhi road,“ said Jalaj Srivastava, chairman, NDMC.In Gurgaon, NGOs like Embarq India have been successfully organizing Raahgiri Day where people come and take part in all kinds of outdoor activities. “Delhi is critical when it comes to urban planning and transport. We want the government to keep pedestrians and cyclists in mind while planning urban infrastructure. It is equally important to encourage people to indulge in outdoor activities. Through Raahgiri, we want to promote road safety, a pollution-free city, active lifestyle and inclusive development,’’ said Amit Bhatt, head of transport at Embarq India.

Bhatt added, “In Gurgaon, we started the event on a 4-km long stretch in November. Today, it is organized every Sunday on a 15-km stretch. It is a huge hit here (Gurgaon) and is attended by thousands of people not only from Gurgaon but also from Delhi”.

Apart from Gurgaon, the event has been successfully organized in Ludhiana, Mumbai and Pune.

transport at Embarq India.Bhatt added, “In Gurgaon, we started the event on a 4-km long stretch in November. Today , it is organized every Sunday on a 15-km stretch. It is a huge hit here (Gurgaon) and is attended by thousands of people not only from Gurgaon but also from Delhi“.

Apart from Gurgaon, the event has been successfully organized in Ludhiana, Mumbai and Pune.

NEW DELHI: With an allocation of Rs 3,702 crore, the transport sector has got the major part of the outlay in this year’s budget. Yet, the budget doesn’t make any new announcements, sticking to the old ones about renovation of inter-state bus terminals, more DTC buses, a larger cluster bus fleet and construction of the corridor over the Barapullah Nullah.This year’s budget allocation—less than last year’s Rs 3,876 crore—again highlights the change in the government’s priorities. While bus acquisition finds mention, there’s no talk of bus rapid transit (BRT) corridor. Fare integration with the Delhi Metro, with the introduction of the automated fare collection system, as well as renovation of the existing facilities at the ISBTs in Sarai Kale Khan and Anand Vihar are among other highlights.

The lieutenant governor has earmarked funds for the acquisition of 400 new cluster buses, to bring the fleet up to 1,600 this financial year. This is besides the 1,380 buses that will be bought for the DTC fleet. The budget also promises that DTC’s 1,300 old standard buses will be replaced this year. There is a requirement of 11,000 buses in Delhi and, as per an agreement between DTC and DIMTS, both are mandated to run 5,500 buses each in the city. While DTC operates around 5,000 buses, DIMTS has only 1,157 cluster buses. The budget also mentions renovation of the zonal transport offices.

Funds have also been set aside for the conversion of single-carriageway flyovers into dual carriageways in the city “due to rapid increase in volume of road traffic”. Construction of some of the selected flyovers will be taken up on priority, the budget adds.

The ongoing phase-II of the elevated Barapullah corridor is also mentioned in the budget. “This elevated corridor will be extended from Sarai Kale Khan to Mayur VIhar under phase-III,” it says.

Source-http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/

 

NEW DELHI: To promote non-motorized transport, New Delhi Municipal Council has sought help from Delhi Integrated Multi-modal Transit System (DIMTS) in identifying stretches that can be made cyclist-friendly. The idea is to create space without disrupting traffic on arterial roads.”Where continuous tracks can’t be provided, we want DIMTS to find a way of crossing over to the other side. We have requested it to be the consultant for the project,” said O P Mishra, director (projects). The NDMC area has few stretches where cyclists can ride freely.The civic agency and police, along with Embarq India, a non-profit organization, are organizing Raahgiri Day every Sunday to promote cycling and walking. The event is supported by The Times of India. The first Raahgiri Day on July 13 received an overwhelming response with close to 3,000 people from the NCR participating in the event. The venue is Connaught Place’s Inner Circle.

Recently, NDMC developed five cycling tracks: Lodhi Road and Lodhi Garden area, Tilak Marg, Mandir Marg, Zakir Hussain Marg, and India Gate Hexagon. “These tracks have been developed keeping in mind the traffic volume so that cyclists can ride for long distances,” said an NDMC official.

Urban planners and road safety experts have been pushing for safer infrastructure for pedestrian and cyclists for long. Efforts like Raahgiri, which aims at promoting sustainable transport, will encourage people to reclaim the streets, experts said.

“We want people to come out and take back what is rightfully theirs. The Delhi government should factor in the needs of pedestrians and cyclists while formulating plans. Outdoor activities are no less important. Through Raahgiri, we want to promote a safe and pollution-free city, an active lifestyle and inclusive development,” said Amit Bhatt, head of transport at Embarq India.

Traffic cops have been doing their bit for cyclists and pedestrians. “In the absence of defined paths, cyclists enter the motorists’ lanes. Cycle tracks developed during CWG have not been used. We have come up with drives raise awareness among cyclists,” said Mukhtesh Chander, special commissioner of police (traffic).

 

Source-http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/

NEW DELHI: The capital’s roads are all set to have a ‘smart’ signalling system that will measure traffic pressure on a stretch and change signals on it accordingly. One of these is being installed at Dwarka Mor crossing. Traffic police will study its effectiveness during peak hours.

Police will soon issue tenders for installing the system at Aurobindo Marg, India Gate, Nelson Mandela Marg and Connaught Place. “Earlier, we had technical difficulties and little expertise. If this project is successful, we will install it in other areas,” joint commissioner of police, traffic, Anil Shukla, said.

Under this new system, the smart signals will have remote sensors which will communicate with nearby signals to control the traffic flow at a particular intersection. At present, signals are controlled through a preset timing system which at times result in pileups during peak hours or induce drivers to skip signals during lean hours.

Every time there is a jam at a particular crossing, someone goes and analyzes the pressure of vehicles and adjusts the signals’ times manually. The problem arises when one of them breaks down. The entire system then must be shut down until the signal is repaired.
However, under the smart signalling system, if one signal breaks down, the others will keep functioning because each works independently. What’s more, police at control rooms can identify a faulty signal instantly if one of them breaks down. The smart signals with independent power systems have inbuilt antennas and sensors that relay a change of traffic light to the next post which, in turn, responds automatically.
In case of a road like Aurobindo Marg, which has signals arranged in close succession, a driver must stop at every crossing as timings of all signals cannot be synchronized due to heavy traffic pressure on connecting roads, a traffic official said. “But, under the new system, if there is one car waiting at the signal when connecting roads are empty, it will turn green,” he said.

Source-http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/