[sustran] Re: Taxi modes better regulation? (question prompted by Delhi Auto-Rickshaw strike)

[Madhav Badami, Prof.]

Paul et al,

The auto-rickshaw sector does need to be regulated, for the sake of the poor operators as well as the passengers, as well as the public at large, but the motivation for banning them or limiting their numbers, is suspect -- I fear it has more to do with sprucing up the city in preparation for the Commonwealth circus that's shortly coming to town (and that autorickshaws and cycle-rickshaws don’t quite fit the image that the authorities want to project to foreign visitors) than any real concern about their negative impacts in terms of, for example, congestion or air pollution (and after all, in Delhi, they all run on CNG, supposedly a "clean" fuel). See the Guardian story (http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/mar/18/delhi-plans-ban-autorickshaws), in which the Chief Minister’s views are described as follows:

"Dikshit has repeatedly said that making Delhi a world-class city is a key aim. The city has already tried to limit the number of cycle rickshaws. But Delhi's high court ruled last month that capping their numbers was illegal.

The defenders of the motorised versions point out that, as the vehicles run on compressed natural gas, their contribution to air pollution in the city is minimal compared with cars. Others argue that rickshaws fulfil an essential function in ferrying people short distances to metro stations or bus stops.

Dikshit has another Delhi icon in her sights: the famous brusqueness of the capital's inhabitants. She hopes to bring about a major "cultural change" before Delhi hosts the Commonwealth games this autumn.

"We have to do some things that are extremely basic like keeping the city clean, giving our citizens the culture of politeness and sharing and caring for each other, so that the world goes back with an impression that they have been to a truly civilized city," she said." (End of quote)

By the way, the urban poor in Delhi are sadly also paying a very high price, all in the interests of “the world go(ing) back with an impression that they have been to a truly civilized city”:

http://www.outlookindia.com/article.aspx?262987

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/hc-slams-mcd-for-razing-slums-in-games-runup/572302/

http://www.thesamosa.co.uk/index.php/news-and-features/politics-and-policy/295-in-the-name-of-the-games.html

Madhav

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"As for the future, your task is not to foresee, but to enable it." -- Antoine de Saint-Exupery

Madhav G. Badami, PhD
School of Urban Planning and McGill School of Environment
Associate Director of Graduate Affairs, McGill School of Environment
McGill University

Macdonald-Harrington Building
815 Sherbrooke Street West
Montreal, QC, H3A 2K6, Canada

Phone: 514-398-3183 (Work)
Fax: 514-398-8376; 514-398-1643
URLs: www.mcgill.ca/urbanplanning
www.mcgill.ca/mse
e-mail: madhav.badami at mcgill.ca

________________________________________
From: sustran-discuss-bounces+madhav.g.badami=mcgill.ca at list.jca.apc.org [sustran-discuss-bounces+madhav.g.badami=mcgill.ca at list.jca.apc.org] On Behalf Of Paul Barter [paulbarter at nus.edu.sg]
Sent: 08 April 2010 20:20
To: sustran-discuss at list.jca.apc.org
Subject: [sustran] Taxi modes better regulation? (question prompted by Delhi    Auto-Rickshaw strike)

Delhi's auto-rickshaws have been out on strike this week and there has been some very informative coverage.
    http://thecityfix.com/a-day-without-auto-rickshaws-inconvenience-intimidation-and-corruption/
    http://kafila.org/2010/04/02/the-truth-behind-the-strike/
    http://www.indianexpress.com/news/autometers-for-the-people/594330/4

These items highlight the fact that the auto-rickshaw industry in Delhi is dominated by a 'financier mafia', while drivers remain extremely poor and powerless. The unions are also dominated by the financiers.  The call to ban auto-rickshaws by Delhi's Chief Minister is not helpful perhaps. But something clearly needs to change. These insights have been highlighted by work by Simon Harding, who is interning with Delhi’s AMAN Trust.

QUESTION: Does anyone know how Delhi could do better? What reformed regulatory framework for auto-rickshaws in Delhi could do better for drivers, for customers and for the city as a whole?

This relates to the wider question of how to regulate/organise taxi-like modes (including conventional taxis) to make them more part of the solution.  Here on sustran-discuss a few weeks back there was discussion of their potential and role as 'shared cars' that offer mobility without locking people into vehicle ownership (under the theme 'they are called taxis'). But taxi-like modes will not be viewed positively in many places until they actually work better.

Paul

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