[sustran] Re: MMRDA will file PIL to block Tata's Rs1 lakh car

[Sujit Patwardhan]

10 July 2007



I don't think our democratic constitution will permit such a ban, which can
be prevented on grounds of unjustified discrimination (unless lack of safety
is cited as the reason and can be proved to be true) but the idea for
automobile restriction will hopefully become possible to sell at least in
some form, to our policy makers who are selectively ignorant to the
consequences of auto domination.

It may become possible to force them to admit that auto-mania needs to be
countered in the interest of the majority of population which is the
sufferer.  And as Walter rightly points out there are other options - we
could start by charging heavy levies on fuel guzzlers and high polluting
vehicles, as well as tightening parking controls (something totally
contradictory to present policy of searching for parking spaces even under
ones bed!!
:-)
--
Sujit Patwardhan
Parisar/PTTF
Pune, India







On 7/10/07, Walter Hook <whook at itdp.org> wrote:
>
>  The spirit is good, but the means seems very wrong headed to me.  What is
> the legal precedent?  That governments should be allowed to ban certain
> categories of vehicles from city streets if the price of the vehicle is too
> low?  This is outrageous.  A 1 lak car consumes no more road space than a
> car costing much more.
>
>
>
> I would encourage the MMRDA to look into traffic cells, congestion
> charging and market-oriented parking charges as more rational policies for
> allocating scarce public road space in Mumbai.
>
>
>
> Walter
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> *From:* sustran-discuss-bounces+whook=itdp.org at list.jca.apc.org [mailto:
> sustran-discuss-bounces+whook=itdp.org at list.jca.apc.org] *On Behalf Of *Alan
> Howes
> *Sent:* Monday, July 09, 2007 4:25 PM
> *To:* Global 'South' Sustainable Transport
> *Subject:* [sustran] Re: MMRDA will file PIL to block Tata's Rs1 lakh car
>
>
>
> But leaving aside the questions of political acceptability, how could
> Chandrashekhar ban the 1 lakh car in Greater Mumbai when the rest of India
> accepts it?
>
>
>
> But I agree with his analysis.
>
>
>
> Alan
>
>
>
> --
> Alan Howes, Perthshire, Scotland
>
>  ----- Original Message -----
>
> *From:* Anupam Gupta, CLSA <anupam.gupta at clsa.com>
>
> *To:* sustran-discuss at list.jca.apc.org
>
> *Sent:* Saturday, July 07, 2007 7:37 AM
>
> *Subject:* [sustran] MMRDA will file PIL to block Tata's Rs1 lakh car
>
>
>
> MMRDA is the regional planning authority for Mumbai. It reports to the
> Chief Minister. MMRDA Chief, Dr. T. Chandrashekhar, has an impressive track
> record of work in Thane. In Mumbai, he's been caught between the politicians
> and the BMC. To give him credit, there's a lot of work he's had done on the
> roads. However - and see below - this is the first time he's taking such a
> strong stance. The battle between free enterprise and urban planning? I'm on
> the MMRDA chief's side on this one. I just hope this posturing doesn't ruin
> his career, because ultimately its the politicians who are in charge.
> Somehow I just can't see this litigation stand in court. Would love your
> thoughts.
>
>
>
> http://www.dnaindia.com/report.asp?NewsID=1108645
>
>
>
>
>
> *MMRDA will file PIL to block Tata's Rs1 lakh car*
>
> MUMBAI: When the Tatas launch their Rs1 lakh car some time next year, they
> could face a roadblock in Mumbai. T Chandrashekhar, who heads the Mumbai
> Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA), the agency entrusted with
> the task of implementing the city's multi-crore infrastructure projects,
> says that he would be the first to file a public interest litigation (PIL)
> to stop the car's rollout in the city.
>
> Chandrashekhar believes that the city will never taste the fruits of its
> infrastructure investments unless it rations the use of road space and
> private vehicles. "The Tata car cannot be permitted (into the city) as it
> would choke up Mumbai. The low cost would mean that all those who can afford
> bikes will jump into the car segment. Then, no road space will be enough to
> hold the sea of vehicles. The city will be doomed," he warns.
>
> As metropolitan commissioner, Chandrashekhar is in charge of redeveloping
> 150 km of roads in Mumbai, which includes both the Eastern and Western
> Express Highways and the new east-west connecting roads – the
> Jogeshwari-Vikhroli Link Road (JVLR) and the Santa Cruz-Chembur Link Road
> (SCLR). He wants the state government to initiate strict vehicle rationing.
>
> "Today, people are buying vehicles like they purchase chocolates. Only
> those citizens who have parking space must be allowed to buy cars. There
> should be a fixed quota of new vehicles sold in Mumbai. And like London and
> Paris, the city must levy a congestion tax to de-clog the roads," he adds.
> The MMRDA chief cautioned that in the next five years, all the roads and
> flyovers will be inadequate if vehicular growth is not controlled.
>
> That apart, Chandrashekhar also wants to control the influx of job-seekers
> in Mumbai. He wants the city to introduce a work permit regime in Mumbai.
> "Only those having a work permit and a valid house must be provided basic
> amenities like ration card, telephone connection and power supply," he said.
>
>
>
>
> Regards,
>
> Anupam Gupta
>
> +91 22 6650 5074
>
> Mobile +91 98204 98981
>
>
>
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-- 
------------------------------------------------------
Sujit Patwardhan
sujit at vsnl.com
sujitjp at gmail.com

"Yamuna",
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Tel: 25537955
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