[sustran] Re: Reducing number of cars on the road

[Ashish Verma (99404003)]

Promoting public transport is a very effective means of reducing the no.
of cars coming on to road. Besides this, some other measures could be-
1. Levying heavy car parking charges & car entry restrictions esp. in CBD
area in order to discourage the use of car.
2. Promoting communication & information technology(internet, mobile phone
etc.) so that the total no. of person trips can be reduced, thus reducing
the car usage.

Sincerely,
Ashish Verma
IIT Bombay


On Tue, 28 Mar 2000, Ananthakrishnan wrote:

> The goal of reducing the number of cars is undoubtedly very positive, but
> India has a poor record of enforcement of any kind of regulation. As any
> visitor to India/citizen knows, regulation is only a route to bribery :
> driving licences,  registration of vehicles, insurance claims, pollution
> checks.
> Such a ban is only likely to benefit corrupt policemen and transport staff.
> Todd's alternatives in TDM appear far more appealing.  Increasing supply of
> public transport (which in any case is a pre-requisite for such a ban) and
> taxing private automobile use would be both socially and politically
> acceptable.
> More traffic is generated in India because of the failure of public
> transport to meet the need for greater mobility in a country which has a
> growing economy in the post-liberalisation phase.
> There is also little emphasis even from NGOs to integrate rail and bus,
> which would provide a total solution.
> 
> 
> G.Ananthakrishnan, Chennai-based journalist can be reached at Tel: + 91 44
> 8413942 , Fax: + 91 44 8415395.
>