[sustran] Non-motorised vehicles will be focus of new Smart Cities

[Vinay Baindur]

hopefully the "smart" in the smart cities will also want the same in all
other cities

http://www.asianage.com/india/non-motorised-vehicles-will-be-focus-new-smart-cities-208





Non-motorised vehicles will be focus of new Smart Cities
Sep 30, 2014 - E.T.B. Sivapriyan
<http://www.asianage.com/category/author/etb-sivapriyan> |

   - New Delhi <http://www.asianage.com/category/place/new-delhi>



      India’s to-be-built “Smart Cities” will lay considerable emphasis on
   a world-class public transport that discourages people from taking their
   personal vehicles out, while earmarking separate lanes for pedestrians and
   cyclists on its roads.

The new 100 Smart Cities, the ambitious project of the Narendra Modi
government, would also emphasise on demand management, by creating
incentives for savings and disincentives for excessive consumption.

The revised concept note prepared by the Centre on the Smart Cities says
walking and cycling have been rendered unsafe due to poor infrastructure
and public transport has been inadequate currently on Indian roads.

“Our cities are faced with rapid motorisation. This has led to severe
congestion, deteriorating air quality, increasing incidence of road
accidents and a rapidly increasing energy bill. Walking and cycling have
been rendered unsafe due to poor infrastructure and public transport has
been inadequate. So far, urban transport planning has emphasised providing
for the personal motor vehicle,” the concept note says.

It says public transport systems have been planned in isolation with the
result that a well-integrated multi-modal system has not come up which has
resulted in high cost facilities not giving the outcomes that were sought.

The concept note says for transport systems the demand management efforts
will be such that they promote the use of non-motorised modes of travel or
public transport and discourage personal motor vehicles.

It also underlines the fact that Seoul, Singapore, Yokohama and Barcelona
have a sound transport system as the core of their “smartness” that lays
stress on walking, cycling and public transport as the primary means for
mobility with personal motor vehicles being actively discouraged.

“In fact, smart cities lay considerable emphasis on the walkability and
cycling in the city. The pedestrian is given a place of prominence as every
trip has a leg that involves walking.”

The note also wants proper infrastructure facilities for cyclists and
pedestrians on the to-be-built roads.

It says many cities across the world have given emphasis to it and
developed the required infrastructure for promoting cycling and says there
should be promotion of use of non-motorised modes of travel or public
transport and discourages personal motor vehicles.