Highway sops, but forest rules too

August 12, 2013

Vijay Pinjarkar, TNN

NAGPUR: The central government exemption from environmental clearance (EC) to National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) for stretches up to 100km in length and 40m in width, will have a major impact on environment in the country, but at the same time it will not be a cakewalk for projects in wildlife and forests areas.

Earlier, as the relaxation was for 30km in length and 20 metres in width, the NHAI required EC and had to go through the mandatory environmental impact assessment (EIA) by ministry of environment and forests (MoEF) through its notification of September 14, 2006, and amended on December 1, 2009.

Highways development was generally intended to improve the economic and social welfare of the people. But at the same time, EIA was to minimize adverse effects on the surrounding environment, effects on people and their properties, damage to sensitive ecosystems, soil erosion, changes to drainage pattern and thereby groundwater, loss of productive agricultural land, resettlement of people, disruption of local economic activities, demographic changes and accelerated urbanization. Now, the highways authority has been freed from the above prescriptions.

If NHAI officials are to be believed they will not have to go through the tedious process of EIA with the MoEF and even public hearings in case of soil excavation from 2-5 hectare area.

“With the new norms, over 70% of our projects won’t need green approval. In Maharashtra, the NHAI is implementing 3,000km of road projects. Although we will need permission for tree felling and subsequently wildlife and forest clearances, we will not be require to submit EIAs,” said a senior NHAI official.

He added that over 9,500km highway/road projects are to be awarded this year, which will also benefit from this decision. Similarly, in the context of excavation of earth for highways, mining of soil in less than 2 hectare and up to 2 metre deep will not require EC.

Although this is perhaps the biggest ever relief that government provided to revive the highway sector, which has been hit by economic slowdown, the move has left the greens fuming. The NHAI is not environment-conscious and hence has put pressure on PMO to get rid of environment issues, they said.

Kishor Rithe, member of standing committee, National Board for Wildlife (NBWL), the highest decision-making body on wildlife issues, says the move will have overall negative impact on environment in the entire country if project proponents do not take appropriate mitigation measures.

“The projects outside 10km of eco-sensitive zones, but within the wildlife corridors, won’t come to the NBWL for clearance. In such situation there is no EC required. I predict massive destruction as no one will ensure mitigation measures. If MoEF wants to give such relaxation, they should be very strict with mitigation measures,” said Rithe.

“However, the green sops will not change the status of NH7 and NH6, where the fate of the stalled road work in patches near sanctuaries will be decided by NBWL. On NH7 (Nagpur-Jabalpur Road), the project falls within 10km of Pench reserve and Mansinghdeo sanctuary. Similarly, on NH6 (Bhandara-Deori), it is within 10km from Navegaon. Here, NHAI will have to get forest and wildlife clearances as per the Environment Protection Act 1986,” said Prafulla Bhamburkar, manager, Wildlife Trust of India (WTI).

The exemption from environmental clearance granted to National Highways Authority of India for stretches up to 100km in length and 40m in width has attracted criticism from the greens.

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

Written by ITW Editor · Filed Under Rules & Regulations

End cycle of vulnerability

May 10, 2013

Atul Mathur , Hindustan Times

New Delhi,

A bicycle is one of most sought-after gifts among children. But once they are older, moving to new bikes and later cars is considered a natural transition. In Delhi, we often see cyclists jostling for space among cars, two-wheelers, buses and commercial vehicles. Statistics prove that they and the pedestrians are the most vulnerable road users.

A bicycle in India is considered a poor man’s commute. In the West and even some Asian countries, bicycles are one of the most popular modes of transport among the executive class. While in countries such as Netherlands, Germany, France, Belgium and China, 20-40% of the total trips are done on bicycles, this number in Delhi is less than 5%.

“Yes, carpenters and gardeners can use the bicycle, but not ‘us’ (officers or other members of the growing middle class),” observed Gerhard Menckhoff, principal urban transport specialist and consultant, World Bank.

“A RITES survey revealed that of all the journeys undertaken by Delhiites in a day, nearly 50% are less than 6km long. It infers that there is a lot of scope to promote cycling,” said Nalin Sinha, a transport expert and founder member of Delhi Cycling Club. The club is among a few organisations trying to make cycling and cycle-sharing popular.

Experts believe that in a city like Delhi, where people largely depend on their private vehicles to travel shorter distances, cycle and cycle-sharing can offer a reliable transport system. But Delhi lacks the basic infrastructure and atmosphere conducive for cycle enthusiasts to make that shift. No wonder that while the percentage of households that own two-wheelers and cars has jumped, cycle ownership has come down by few percentage points in the past decade.

“Cycles provide last-mile integration from source. Also, a good cycle parking infrastructure is required close to public transport. A good network of streets specially designed for non-motorised transport and provision for shorter connection is important,” said Anuj Malhotra, an expert in non-motorised traffic with Centre for Green Mobility.

Experts believe that Delhi is now passing through a phase seen by several European and American cities in the last decades of the 20th century. Earlier, of the 3.5 lakh people coming to Times Square in New York, 90% would drive cars. But in the past five years, New York has been transformed from a city of private vehicles to a bustling pedestrian and cycle-friendly city.

“The footpaths have been meticulously redesigned. There are traffic islands at strategic points for people to wait for vehicles to pass before crossing the road. Car parking has been designed in a way to keep cyclists and pedestrians away from the moving traffic,” said Janette Sadik-Khan, commissioner, department of transportation, New York City.

“Providing adequate and safe walking and cycling infrastructure are the primary obligations of any city government and municipal authority. The government will have to spend only a fraction of its flyover or elevated road budget to develop these facilities,” Sinha said.

CASE STUDIES

He wants special bicycle lanes

Praveen Kumar, 21
Ashok Nagar resident
Every day, 21-year-old Praveen Kumar Sharma pedals for over three hours. His workplace, a small roadside car seat cover shop, at Kashmere Gate is nearly 12km from his home in east Delhi’s Ashok Nagar.

Kumar says not only does he save transportation expenses, cycling also helps him keep fit. “Of course, I’m physically fit because of this daily workout session. People pay thousands to go to a fancy gym and to cycle for a few minutes. I do it for free,” Sharma says, sporting a big smile. “Expenses are increasing day by day. Even if I save a few hundred rupees, it does help my family sustain in this otherwise expensive city,” said Sharma, who lives with his parents and brother.

But what about the daily rendezvous with destiny? Sharma smiles wryly and says it’s a risk he has to take. “Have you seen how people drive cars and motorcycles? They don’t care about other cars or motorbikes, leave alone cyclists like me. In the past six months, two motorcyclists have bumped into me. And the worst part is they accused me for the accident,” Praveen says.

Kumar, a native of Faizabad near Lucknow, has heard about specialised bicycle lanes in other cities of India and abroad and wishes that he and thousands like him too had such a facility here.

“Cycles get cowed down in front of bigger vehicles. Bicycle lanes will be of big help and will also help cut down transportation time,” he said.
Ritam Halder

Promoting non-motorised transport

Walk to work initiative
Gurgaon
One fine day, the CEOs and top executives of many of Gurgaon’s IT-BPO firms left their swanky cars behind and chose to walk or cycle to work. The reason: They wanted to promote non-motorised transport (NMT) in the city.
This ‘walk to work’ initiative was organised by the National Association of Software and Services Companies (NASSCOM).

The initiative has sent the ball rolling on the issue. A resident group on NMT has already taken up with the Municipal Corporation of Gurgaon the creation of suitable infrastructure such as cycling tracks and proper footpaths in the city. The group has been holding private workshops and pitching for NMT, as a result of which the corporation is now working on a NMT plan for Gurgaon.

Source –http://www.hindustantimes.com

Written by ITW Editor · Filed Under Uncategorized

Interview – Manfred Neun -President (ECF) : ‘Cycling is the fastest as well as easiest means of transport’

May 10, 2013

Atul Mathur, Hindustan Times

Manfred Neun is the president of European Cyclists’ Federation (ECF) since 2005. He is a key figure in the world of global cycling advocacy. Excerpts from an interview:

Can cycling become equally popular in hot and humid cities of south Asia?

The Dutch say ‘there is no such thing as bad cycling weather, only bad clothing’. Cycling in a city is a low-level physical activity. You don’t need to sweat if you go peacefully as you would do for walking. When you look at the map of cycle-friendly European cities, you will find some in all climates — from the snowy north of Finland, to the hot south of Spain or the more continental Germany.

What efforts should the govt make to create an environment for cycling?

In Europe, the biggest trigger was political will. Once that is achieved, first focus on making cycling safe in the city. Develop a decent and safe network of cycle paths and other bicycle infrastructure, such as parking. And finally, promote it through several campaigns.

How can we integrate cycling with public transport?

Cycling and public transport benefit from each other. Bicycles increase the reach of public transport: The 10-minutes’ catchment area of a bus stop grows by 15 times with bicycles. For good integration, there should be bike parking provisions at main stations. It should be easy to take your cycle with you on public transport.

How beneficial are cycling-sharing systems?

Bicycle-sharing schemes are a cheap and efficient way to provide 24×7 public transport. They also give cycling a boost. Paris, for instance, saw an impressive rise in its use after their Velib bicycle-sharing system was introduced in 2007. Now 75,000 people use the service every day.

What are the benefits of cycling?

From an individual point of view, it saves you money, makes you healthier and saves time. But for the society, the benefits are even higher. Less cars mean less congestion, less pollution, and safer roads. Cycling infrastructure is also much cheaper. Surveys show that the main reason for cycling is convenience as bicycles are the fastest and easiest means of transport.

Source –www.hindustantimes.com

Written by ITW Editor · Filed Under Uncategorized

Bansal woos private players for rail projects

April 29, 2013

(Railway Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal today invited private companies to participate in ventures including the Dedicated Freight Corridor (DFC).)

NEW DELHI: Highlighting tremendous scope for private investments in rail projects, Railway Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal today invited private companies to participate in such ventures including the Dedicated Freight Corridor (DFC).

Advocating the need to de-clog the road network in the country, the Union Minister insisted transporting bulk goods through rail instead of roadways as it would be cost effective and environment friendly.

“The 570 km long corridor from Sonnagar to Dankuni in the Eastern DFC will be executed through PPP route,” Bansal said at a conference here.

The Eastern and Western corridors of DFC are being constructed covering a length of 3,328 km route for exclusive freight movement in the country.

Giving the timeline, Bansal said, “the DFC project has to be completed by 2018 which is an uphill task. There is a tangible progress as 87 per cent land has been acquired. It would cost about Rs 95,000 crore including land acquisition cost.”

Highlighting the importance of the DFC, he said, “we need DFC as it is for the growth of our economy. In order to meet the growth we need to encourage private participation.”

Currently, the share of railways in goods transportation is 36 per cent whereas in the USA and China the share is 48 per cent 47 per cent respectively.

Comparing with the road carriers, Bansal said “one freight with 59 wagons and one electric engine of 5,000 Horsepower to 6,000 Horsepower would carry 4,600 tons while 400 trucks of each of having 150 Horsepower carrying 10 tons are required to carry the same load.”

Bansal said the movement of goods on rail is six to 10 times more efficient as compared to its impact on environment, long queues at toll plazas, the time factor and the additional cost involved on roads.

Source-http://economictimes.indiatimes.com

Written by ITW Editor · Filed Under Uncategorized