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

[Cornie Huizenga]

Dear All,


Shanghai out-invested Beijing 2 to 1 in terms of investments for the World
Expo which is opening next month. (compared to Olympics in Beijing). What
did we get:

   - a new shining domestic air terminal;
   - about 3 or 4 new metro-lines (it will now be possible to travel by
   subway from domestic to international terminal - about 63 kilometers and
   about 33 stops :-)
   - completion of the middle ring road
   - a few new tunnels under the Huangpu river
   - physical segregation of a whole lot of bicycle lanes with fancy but
   strong little fences
   - 4000 new taxis
   - a new coat of paint for thousands of apartment buildings
   - countless new mini-parks
   - better sidewalks in many places

In short - lots of lasting improvements.

Cornie

On Sat, Apr 10, 2010 at 6:50 AM, Karthik Rao Cavale <krc12353 at gmail.com>wrote:

> Connecting this thread to the Litman article on World Streets (
>
> http://newmobilityagenda.blogspot.com/2010/04/vancouver-olympics-lessons-for.html
> ),
> it becomes apparent that major events can influence cities differently.
>
> Vancouver chose to implement policies that cut transportation demand to
> make
> up for the influx of visitors. Delhi chooses policies that promote personal
> vehicles instead.
>
> I believe one of the few legacies of the Asian Games in 1982 in Delhi is a
> flyover on Ring Road near Lajpat Nagar and Andrews Ganj. At this rate, we
> must hope Delhi never wins an Olympics bid.
>
> On Fri, Apr 9, 2010 at 12:26 AM, Jains <alok.priyanka at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> > Begs the question what is "good impression"? An inane attempt to imitate
> or
> > to make an iconic attempt. Ms Dixit would have to be God to attempt
> > cultural
> > change in six months' time.
> >
> > Micro-finance and owner-operator arrangement combined with good
> regulation
> > is the way to go. Auto-rickshaws in smaller Indian cities can be taken as
> a
> > good example. I use them often and there are couple of guys who also
> > operate
> > "on-demand" services (thanks to the mobile phones).
> >
> > Regards
> > Alok
> >
> > On Fri, Apr 9, 2010 at 9:25 AM, Madhav Badami, Prof. <
> > madhav.g.badami at mcgill.ca> wrote:
> >
> > > 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
> > >
> > >
> ************************************************************************
> > >
> > > "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@
> 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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> > >
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> > equitable and sustainable transport with a focus on developing countries
> > (the 'Global South').
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> equitable and sustainable transport with a focus on developing countries
> (the 'Global South').
>



-- 
Cornie Huizenga
Joint Convener
Partnership on Sustainable, Low Carbon Transport
Mobile: +86 13901949332
cornie.huizenga at slocatpartnership.org
www.slocat.net