Paper: GS – I, Subject: Society and Social Justice, Topic: Urbanisation- Problems and remedies, Issue: Issues with Urbanisation in India.
Context:
Urbanisation is a key pillar of the Viksit Bharat 2047 vision. Over 60% of India’s population is expected to transition from rural to urban areas by the 2060s. Ensuring efficient urban transit is vital to support this transformation.
Key Highlights:
Current Challenges in Urban Mobility:
- Limited progress: India’s smart city progress is limited; most new cities are not emerging as planned.
- Congestion: Existing metros are overstretched, leading to inefficient urban transit.
- Limited access: Only 37% of urban residents have access to public transport (Economic Survey) whereas Brazil & China have >50% access.
- Issues with metro system:
- Metro construction is capital-intensive and time-consuming.
- High operational and financial costs; many systems fail to recover costs.
- Fare sensitivity leads to reduced ridership if prices rise.
- Poor last-mile connectivity limits efficiency and commuter comfort.
Government Interventions:
- PM e-Bus Sewa Scheme: Focus on 10,000 electric urban buses.
- PM Electric Drive (PM e-Drive):
- Targets: 50,000 e-buses, 1.1 lakh e-rickshaws, e-trucks, e-ambulances.
- Demand: Estimated 2 lakh buses; only 35,000 exist (including e-buses).
Measures needed:
- Effective public transport: Cost-effective, road-based public transport like trams, trolleybuses, e-buses must be explored. Lifecycle cost analysis shows:
- Trams: 45% profit over 7 decades.
- Trolleybuses: Slight net loss, but close to breakeven.
- E-buses: High costs, net loss of 82% over 7 decades.
- Prioritising Investments: Low-cost, scalable, sustainable investment options should be encouraged with last-mile connectivity solutions.
- Technological boost: Technologies that align with climate goals and economic efficiency.
- Avoiding over–dependence: Need to avoid over-dependence on expensive metro systems with poor returns and public subsidies to support transit infrastructure.
Conclusion:
India must rethink urban transport strategy by investing in financially viable, environment-friendly, and people-centric systems like trams and trolleybuses. A well-planned multi-modal public transport network is essential for the success of Viksit Bharat and sustainable urbanisation.
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