Flyovers don’t make cities smart: Experts
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Asija, Navdeep
Oct 2, 2014, 12:56:41 AM10/2/14
to Punjab Road Safety Group
AHMEDABAD: As Prime Minister Narendra Modi's '100 smart cities' vision continues to garner attention, experts on Monday gave a new definition to rejuvenation of Indian cities as urban centres, saying "elevated flyovers do not make cities smart".
"Kyoto is a magnificent example of how a city preserves its cultural heritage while modernizing itself. Even Seoul pulled down 46 highways for developing several areas...The focus should always be on mass transit and not on highways," said senior urban transport specialist O P Agarwal, while addressing the second Asia BRTS conference in the city.
Agarwal, who was the key author of India's national urban transport policy, went on to say that India does not have money to develop 100 smart cities. "Vehicle congestion had rapidly increased and so has fuel consumption. In next 20 years, our fuel export bill will touch Rs 30 lakh crore. So where is the money for smart cities? Japan, Korea and Singapore have taken low energy path and we also need to opt for smarter mobility," he said.
He also said the government thinks that Metro makes a city smart, but it's a sheer waste of money if commuters are not happy on roads. "Delhi Metro operates on five lines, but only yellow line witnesses heavy rush. Yellow line transports more than 20,000 people a day, while other lines carry less than 3,000 passengers. So do we need Metro everywhere? The focus should always be on mass transit. Instead of Metro, the government should work on improving existing transport system."
Tony Dufays, director, regional offices and services at International Association of Public Transport, said that a big city is no guarantee to a smart city. "We don't need overbridges to make a city smart. Instead, we need a good and pro-people transport system which is not congested. What's the use of flyovers when our areas are congested? he asked.
For developing smart cities, he said, India will have to manage its energy requirements smartly and learn from smart water and waste management from Tunisia and the US.
He said: "America spends more than 15% of its GDP on transport mobility, while India wastes major part of its gross domestic product due to wrong choice of mobility. Tunisia also spends 25% of its GDP on improving its transport system. Therefore, we need to learn from their smartness."
"Kyoto is a magnificent example of how a city preserves its cultural heritage while modernizing itself. Even Seoul pulled down 46 highways for developing several areas...The focus should always be on mass transit and not on highways," said senior urban transport specialist O P Agarwal, while addressing the second Asia BRTS conference in the city.
Agarwal, who was the key author of India's national urban transport policy, went on to say that India does not have money to develop 100 smart cities. "Vehicle congestion had rapidly increased and so has fuel consumption. In next 20 years, our fuel export bill will touch Rs 30 lakh crore. So where is the money for smart cities? Japan, Korea and Singapore have taken low energy path and we also need to opt for smarter mobility," he said.
He also said the government thinks that Metro makes a city smart, but it's a sheer waste of money if commuters are not happy on roads. "Delhi Metro operates on five lines, but only yellow line witnesses heavy rush. Yellow line transports more than 20,000 people a day, while other lines carry less than 3,000 passengers. So do we need Metro everywhere? The focus should always be on mass transit. Instead of Metro, the government should work on improving existing transport system."
Tony Dufays, director, regional offices and services at International Association of Public Transport, said that a big city is no guarantee to a smart city. "We don't need overbridges to make a city smart. Instead, we need a good and pro-people transport system which is not congested. What's the use of flyovers when our areas are congested? he asked.
For developing smart cities, he said, India will have to manage its energy requirements smartly and learn from smart water and waste management from Tunisia and the US.
He said: "America spends more than 15% of its GDP on transport mobility, while India wastes major part of its gross domestic product due to wrong choice of mobility. Tunisia also spends 25% of its GDP on improving its transport system. Therefore, we need to learn from their smartness."
Ashwani Luthra
Oct 2, 2014, 10:13:36 AM10/2/14
to punjabro...@googlegroups.com
Flyovers, on the one side are polluters as they create "Visual Pollution". Roads act as open spaces in congested MASS of urban environs but constriction of flyovers creates a MASS on the open space as well. Hence, giving a feel of suffocation and vision blockade. Also, they facilitate automobiles more than discouraging them for for use. How public transport system can be promoted once more and more road space is created to accommodate/ facilitate the private automobiles.
At places, construction of flyovers is not possible but still they are constructed to satisfy the ego of some politicians, administrators or handful of users. The residents or commercial establishments on either sides of the flyovers or elevated roads are the sufferers.
Flyover at Islamabad Area and Elevated Road on Bus Stand Road in Amritsar and Elevated Road in Ludhiana are examples of human follies. They influence the development as well.
As per a pilot survey for elevated road of Amritsar and observation on elevated road of Ludhiana, they serve hardy 10-15 percent of the total traffic that was there on the stretch of road on which these elevated roads are constructed.
Elevated Road_Amritsar
Elevated Road-Ludhiana
Elevated Road_Ludhiana
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Dr. Ashwani Luthra
ArriveSAFE India
Oct 3, 2014, 1:25:30 AM10/3/14
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We make new Clusters of "Modern Townships" built by private colonizers with no connectivity. Just rely on the existing Highways forcing the occupants to buy and use cars.
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Harman S Sidhu
Email: har...@arrivesafe.org
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Harman S Sidhu
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Pradip Sarkar
Oct 3, 2014, 2:33:29 AM10/3/14
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to whom it may concern
"Yellow line transports more than 20,000 people a day, while other lines carry less than 3,000 passengers. So do we need Metro everywhere? The focus should always be on mass transit. Instead of Metro, the government should work on improving existing transport system."
The above data needs to be verified before we arrive at the above statement.
thanksAsija, Navdeep
Oct 3, 2014, 7:02:01 AM10/3/14
to Punjab Road Safety Group
yeah, even i feel so, it can be per hour per direction i believe..but apart from this Urban expressways and other expensive ideas are the best way to kill the city in shortest possible span.
Mahesh Gaur
Oct 4, 2014, 1:21:12 AM10/4/14
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There is no doubt that flyovers are not the right choice to make city smart, smooth rides even for car users, reduce congestion or even safe and user friendly environment for road users especially pedestrian and cyclists. Even after building up more than 100 flyovers in Delhi city, we see more congestion suddenly after ending series of flyovers. As far as Metro is concerned, the data quoted 20,000 passengers on yellow line and 3,000 passenger on other lines might be misprinted. It may be per hour per direction. Still there is more than 65% population is depends on public transport, cycle or by foot to go to work! Don't the city planners re-think on their Metro policy?
On Thu, Oct 2, 2014 at 10:26 AM, Asija, Navdeep <navdee...@gmail.com> wrote:
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