How To Achieve Efficient And Climate-Friendly Urban Transport Systems?Posted by David Swift on April 17th, 2018
Urban transport has increased risks associated with pollution and environmental damage. With the number of vehicles increasing every year, there is an immediate need to check the emission levels that can lead to a cleaner environment. Keeping this growing concern in mind, many governments across the world have introduced clean air missions to curb pollution from urban transportation. The government of India launched the Smart Cities Mission in 2015, which is a retrofitting and urban renewal program aimed at developing 100 cities and making them citizen friendly and ecological. As of January 2018, 99 cities have been identified in the country, to undergo a complete upgrade as part of the smart city mission. The most common problem that plagues urban transport system is traffic congestion. With increasing population, the number of vehicles has also gone up. Today, on an average, there are at least two vehicles per household, which means more pollution. However, with the SMART-SUT (Integrated and Sustainable Urban Transport Systems for Smart Cities) the government has targeted this problem steadily. How can we achieve an efficient and climate-friendly transportation system? Focus on strengthening the urban transportation system has paved way for developing ingenious ways of providing environmentally friendly conveyance system.
With the introduction of a metro in many Indian cities, the respective state governments are making headway in providing efficient urban transport systems. Cities such as Kolkata, Delhi, Gurgaon and Mumbai have a very strong metro system. Jaipur, Hyderabad and Bangalore have also begun their metro rail connectivity to a large extent. Keeping up with the growing demand for clean air, the metro rapid transport system is also under construction in Greater Noida, Pune, Indore, Bhopal, Guwahati and Meerut amongst others. The Indo-German cooperation is also aimed at developing and strengthening urban development and railway safety to better the transportation system in India. This will help bring a sea change in improving the quality of life in many cities and boost the socioeconomic status of the country.
Due to growing health concerns, there are many individuals in the urban cities, who have taken to cycling as an alternate mode of transportation. It is not only cost-efficient but also environmentally friendly. This alternate means of transportation are aimed at helping people become healthy, fit and eco-friendly. Today, there are many corporations who are promoting cycling as part of their health initiatives.
Another strong facet being advocated by many local governments is the use of the efficient carpool system. This system of sharing car results in reduced pollutants in the air. Carpooling is being actively promoted through various online advertisements and social messages. It helps reduce the number of cars on the road, which in turn helps to reduce pollution, making the air cleaner to breathe. It will also help in reducing fuel wastage and prove to be cost-effective. Urban transport system can become effective if there are cohesive steps taken by the government and citizens, alike. Like it? Share it! More by this author |
