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

[Ananthakrishnan]

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.