‘Strengthen public transport to reduce congestion’

The opposition to widening of Irwin Road in the city has brought the focus back on the need to strengthen public transport system to reduce private vehicles plus the resultant traffic congestion on roads to minimise pollution.

Described as a viable long-term solution, experts have said this will not only help protect heritage but will help promote tourism in a big way. Maj. Gen (retired) Sudhir Vombatkere, who is a social activist and expert in the field of development-related issues, said that the growing opposition to the Irwin Road widening project should not be viewed as obstructive to development as being perceived by officials. He said the opposition stems from the loss of land with built property, loss of residence and livelihood, increased air and noise pollution with increased volume of traffic, reduced pedestrian safety as traffic density increases in an already densely populated area.

There is a growing body of opinion that road-widening was a short-term solution for traffic congestion as the gains would be neutralised in a matter of months in the wake of increasing vehicle population in the city, argued Mr. Vombatkere calling for a wider and comprehensive discussion on the subject.

He cited the National Urban Transport Policy (NUTP) which was of the view that “Central Government would [therefore] encourage measures that allocate road space on a more equitable basis, with people as its focus. This can be achieved by reserving lanes and corridors exclusively for public transport and non-motorised modes of travel”.

The policy document goes on to add that public transport occupies less road space and causes less pollution per passenger-km than personal vehicles and hence public transport is a more sustainable form of transport and hence there is a strong case for it, said Mr. Vombatkere.

Apart from adding to congestion and pollution, road-widening tends to compromise pedestrian safety as footpaths are either removed or reduced forcing people to walk on the carriageway thus jeopardising their safety that defeats the purpose of the entire exercise, argued Mr. Vombatkere

Citing the NUTP document, he pointed out that the focus was on vehicles rather than people as a result of which a bus carrying 40 people is allocated only two-and-a-half times the road space that is allocated to a car carrying only one or two persons. Mr. Vombatkere said users of non-motorised modes of transportation have been squeezed out of the roads on account of serious threat to their safety.