Bengaluru has lost 88% of its treecover and 75% of its water bodies to indiscriminate urbanisation since 1973. Excessive usage of private vehicles has led to more unplanned roads, flyovers and elevated corridors being announced. This is threatening to wipe out the leftover green cover of this beautiful city, also adversely affecting the air quality and water availability!
Bengalureans, let’s reclaim nammuru!
Transforming our transportation systems to become more people-friendly can help us retain the trees and the beautiful blue skies of the garden city.
BYE, BYE TRAFFIC JAMS!
LET’S TRANSFORM BENGALURU’S STREETS
11 dedicated bus lanes must be established as suggested by the Comprehensive Mobility Plan (CMP) to reduce traffic congestion. All bus stops must be installed with amenities like toilets, public announcement and information display system and CCTV cameras. Mobile applications and live display of real time information on bus timings, intervals and routes, should be provided.
Free/subsidised bus passes should be provided to women, other sexual minorities, elderly, students and physically disabled persons to make the public transport system more inclusive.
Implement the Active Mobility Bill, drafted by DULT, that aims to protect the rights of pedestrians and cyclists and ensure safe, accessible and connected pedestrian and cycling networks in the urban areas in Karnataka.
The strategy released by DULT to address the unregulated parking system of the city of Bengaluru should be executed to make the city more inclusive and accessible. A similar policy with the region-specific changes must be designed and implemented to solve the haphazards of unplanned parking in the city and the state.
Cycle parking facilities must be established near all major bus stops, railway stations, suburban train stations, metro stations within a year. Prominent market and commercial places should also be installed with secure cycle stands with shade from rains. These stands must have adequate lighting at night-time to discourage theft.
The additional procurement should be carried out as soon as possible to increase the availability and accessibility of the citizens towards the public transport system. Electric buses powered by renewable energy must be prioritised while augmenting the bus fleet size .Similar plans must be carried out in other cities of the state.
Prioritise funding for bus transport, cycling and NMT(Non Motorised Transport) in the city. A state budget provision of 40,000 crores for the establishment of dedicated cycle lanes, footpaths and 12,750 crores for the procurement of electric bus fleet must be granted.
4000 kms of footpaths and cycle lanes should be constructed in the state of Karnataka with a 2000 kms of cycling lanes and footpaths exclusively for Bengaluru. A well-connected city with suitable NMT (Non Motorised Transport) infrastructure must be ensured to the citizens.
IPT or Paratransit facilities must be established to improve the first and last mile connectivity at a subsidised rate for the public.
All Transit Oriented Development (ToD) zones and major city centres should be declared as Low Emission Zones (LEZ). This includes major transit stations including suburban rail, train stations, metro and bus stations. All these areas must be transformed into LEZs to meet air quality standards and reduce carbon emission.