Late last week, the government of Delhi ‒ the world's most polluted city ‒ announced a restriction on private vehicles based on the divisibility test of number plates. Vehicles with odd-numbered licence plates will be allowed on the streets on one day, those with even-numbered plates the next. While it is definitely a bold and a necessary move, is this really the answer to Delhi’s pollution woes? Maybe, maybe not.
One thing I can say for sure, based on studying the consumer transportation space for over a year now and having travelled to some of the major cities of the world, is that we can do better. Here’s how:
1. Carpool lanes
Los Angeles offers you a very simple incentive for carpooling: a separate lane, all to yourself. You can simply zip past the loners in traffic and remind them of the benefits of carpooling. Also, violations attract massive fines, of $300 or more. That’s why it works. All wide roads, however many there are left in Delhi/NCR, with three or more lanes could do with this move.
2. Better last-mile connectivity
While travelling by Metro in Delhi is not the biggest problem, getting to the Metro station sometimes is. It’s can be inhibiting to have to figure out a way to get to the station, park your vehicle in an already overcrowded lot and make your way to a packed train. The lack of feeder buses, private or public, is to blame. And the ones that actually do run are in a sad state, to say the least.
3. More frequent Metros and more of them, please
It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out we have a large population. To provide public transportation for so many people isn’t an easy task, but one thing is clear: adding two more coaches isn’t going to solve the problem. We need more trains, running more frequently between stations. It’s not like they will become less crowded overnight. Even the metros in Singapore and the Tube in London are crowded, but the definitions of “crowded” differ. We actually do have better train coaches than the ones in London (which arerusty, slow and narrow) but way too many people than they can handle.
4. Improve the public transport experience
Overcrowding in the Delhi Transport Corporation buses is one problem. But broken seats and windows, little or no access for the disabled, no space to stow luggage add to the reasons that people don't take the bus voluntarily. Those who do take the DTC do so because that’s what they can afford most times or face access issues. There are simple ways to make the commute worthwhile apart from fixing the above mentioned points: free or ad-supported wifi is one of them. The Dublin bus network has a brilliant wifi system and provides internet access while on the bus. Get a major telecom operator behind it, throw in some ads to monetise it, earn more revenue for DTC or the metro, and make people voluntarily take public transport.
5. When does the next bus arrive?
I always have a tough time finding bus routes and figuring out when the next bus is coming. This is not the age of static timetables, but the age of real-time ETAs. It’s high time our fleets are equipped with GPS systems dishing out second-by-second updates to commuters about time of arrival, disruptions, accidents and delays.
People in London swear by Citymapper even over Google Maps for a simple reason: real-time updates about the bus and the tube system. You could do it in India, too, only if the buses had GPS and it worked after installing it.
6. Stick to the sub-4 metre rule
The government offered lower taxes for sub-4 metre vehicles and it worked. It gave us successful models like the Suzuki Dzire and the Honda Amaze. Apart from that, when space is at a premium in an ever-expanding city, it is important to adapt. Look how both industry and consumers responded.
7. Electric is in
Though it's difficult to believe, for a long time, the government levied high taxes on electric cars in India. While things may have changed now, it is still not enough to lure customers to make the switch to electric. One does see more Reva e2o’s on the road, but there is a long way to go till they become as commonplace as the Prius in California. The ecosystem needs to be in place. We can’t wait for Tesla to come and set it up. Build the network, lower or negate the taxes on electric vehicles and see how people switch to electric at least for short commutes to begin with, till technology increases the range of the vehicle. If the Prius can become a status symbol in Hollywood, I don’t see why a Tesla Model S cannot replace the S-Class amongst Bollywood and in the garages of industrialists. More than that, small electric vehicles both public and private will be preferred over petrol powered vehicles and autos.
8. Respect for self and others
We lack three things: technology (in terms of transportation systems), common sense, and civic sense
While the first can be dealt with, as a society we are short on the latter two. There is no respect for the pedestrian or the cyclist. When was the last time people stopped their cars before the zebra crossing? When was the last time people used zebra crossings? When was the last time the zebra crossing was painted?
Not only are the drivers at fault for flouting rules, eating into the lanes meant for cyclists, but jaywalking is the norm. People are forced to cross roads in this manner because of lack of proper ways to get across from one end of the road to another, owing to the lack of crossings, lights, foot over bridges and the fact that there are no fines for breaking rules.
Walking and cycling should take precedence for short distances, but given the state of our roads it’s almost suicidal to walk a few kilometres unless that’s the only option you are left with. Encroached footpaths and cars eating into cycle lanes is all that we are left with. Don’t wait for Rahgiri Day, when streets are closed off to vehicles to give pedestrians all the space they need. Make sure your city’s roads are planned like that and authorities can enforce actions such as hefty fines to keep it that way.
9. Stay ahead of the emission norms
The next emission norm update, BS-V, is still four years away. Carmakers are already flouting rules to get past them, a case in point being Volkswagen. Take strict action against offenders, reduce the number of old vehicles (petrol and diesel) with outdated emission norms and have pollution checking centres, which actually fulfil the purpose they were meant for.
10. Make car ownership difficult
As much as I love cars and am all for the automotive industry, it just doesn’t make sense to make cars and other vehicles so easily accessible to buy, especially in the world’s most polluted city. Yes, it may have an economic impact, but what about the environmental impact? Would you rather want factories to be shut on alternate days only to see a blue sky like Beijing had to? If countries such as Singapore can look so far ahead into the future and already have limitations in place regarding car ownership (economic mostly) and have worked on their public transportation infrastructure, we need to follow suit.
We need to think this through and formulate a proper solution to tackle the pollution, because it is serious and it’s staring us in the face – you and I are actually breathing it everyday. While some of these alternatives may seem ahead of their times for Delhi, they need to be thought of and implemented now if the city has to match up to its global counterparts in aspects other than concentration of particle matte. Moreover, 13 out of the 20 most polluted cities in world are in India, so this will soon be applicable to the entire nation. Till then, I shall go back to my divisiblity test.
Nakul Khanna is the co-founder of a transport app called Instago. His Twitter handle is @nakulkhanna.
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One thing I can say for sure, based on studying the consumer transportation space for over a year now and having travelled to some of the major cities of the world, is that we can do better. Here’s how:
1. Carpool lanes
Los Angeles offers you a very simple incentive for carpooling: a separate lane, all to yourself. You can simply zip past the loners in traffic and remind them of the benefits of carpooling. Also, violations attract massive fines, of $300 or more. That’s why it works. All wide roads, however many there are left in Delhi/NCR, with three or more lanes could do with this move.
2. Better last-mile connectivity
While travelling by Metro in Delhi is not the biggest problem, getting to the Metro station sometimes is. It’s can be inhibiting to have to figure out a way to get to the station, park your vehicle in an already overcrowded lot and make your way to a packed train. The lack of feeder buses, private or public, is to blame. And the ones that actually do run are in a sad state, to say the least.
3. More frequent Metros and more of them, please
It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out we have a large population. To provide public transportation for so many people isn’t an easy task, but one thing is clear: adding two more coaches isn’t going to solve the problem. We need more trains, running more frequently between stations. It’s not like they will become less crowded overnight. Even the metros in Singapore and the Tube in London are crowded, but the definitions of “crowded” differ. We actually do have better train coaches than the ones in London (which arerusty, slow and narrow) but way too many people than they can handle.
4. Improve the public transport experience
Overcrowding in the Delhi Transport Corporation buses is one problem. But broken seats and windows, little or no access for the disabled, no space to stow luggage add to the reasons that people don't take the bus voluntarily. Those who do take the DTC do so because that’s what they can afford most times or face access issues. There are simple ways to make the commute worthwhile apart from fixing the above mentioned points: free or ad-supported wifi is one of them. The Dublin bus network has a brilliant wifi system and provides internet access while on the bus. Get a major telecom operator behind it, throw in some ads to monetise it, earn more revenue for DTC or the metro, and make people voluntarily take public transport.
5. When does the next bus arrive?
I always have a tough time finding bus routes and figuring out when the next bus is coming. This is not the age of static timetables, but the age of real-time ETAs. It’s high time our fleets are equipped with GPS systems dishing out second-by-second updates to commuters about time of arrival, disruptions, accidents and delays.
People in London swear by Citymapper even over Google Maps for a simple reason: real-time updates about the bus and the tube system. You could do it in India, too, only if the buses had GPS and it worked after installing it.
6. Stick to the sub-4 metre rule
The government offered lower taxes for sub-4 metre vehicles and it worked. It gave us successful models like the Suzuki Dzire and the Honda Amaze. Apart from that, when space is at a premium in an ever-expanding city, it is important to adapt. Look how both industry and consumers responded.
7. Electric is in
Though it's difficult to believe, for a long time, the government levied high taxes on electric cars in India. While things may have changed now, it is still not enough to lure customers to make the switch to electric. One does see more Reva e2o’s on the road, but there is a long way to go till they become as commonplace as the Prius in California. The ecosystem needs to be in place. We can’t wait for Tesla to come and set it up. Build the network, lower or negate the taxes on electric vehicles and see how people switch to electric at least for short commutes to begin with, till technology increases the range of the vehicle. If the Prius can become a status symbol in Hollywood, I don’t see why a Tesla Model S cannot replace the S-Class amongst Bollywood and in the garages of industrialists. More than that, small electric vehicles both public and private will be preferred over petrol powered vehicles and autos.
8. Respect for self and others
We lack three things: technology (in terms of transportation systems), common sense, and civic sense
While the first can be dealt with, as a society we are short on the latter two. There is no respect for the pedestrian or the cyclist. When was the last time people stopped their cars before the zebra crossing? When was the last time people used zebra crossings? When was the last time the zebra crossing was painted?
Not only are the drivers at fault for flouting rules, eating into the lanes meant for cyclists, but jaywalking is the norm. People are forced to cross roads in this manner because of lack of proper ways to get across from one end of the road to another, owing to the lack of crossings, lights, foot over bridges and the fact that there are no fines for breaking rules.
Walking and cycling should take precedence for short distances, but given the state of our roads it’s almost suicidal to walk a few kilometres unless that’s the only option you are left with. Encroached footpaths and cars eating into cycle lanes is all that we are left with. Don’t wait for Rahgiri Day, when streets are closed off to vehicles to give pedestrians all the space they need. Make sure your city’s roads are planned like that and authorities can enforce actions such as hefty fines to keep it that way.
9. Stay ahead of the emission norms
The next emission norm update, BS-V, is still four years away. Carmakers are already flouting rules to get past them, a case in point being Volkswagen. Take strict action against offenders, reduce the number of old vehicles (petrol and diesel) with outdated emission norms and have pollution checking centres, which actually fulfil the purpose they were meant for.
10. Make car ownership difficult
As much as I love cars and am all for the automotive industry, it just doesn’t make sense to make cars and other vehicles so easily accessible to buy, especially in the world’s most polluted city. Yes, it may have an economic impact, but what about the environmental impact? Would you rather want factories to be shut on alternate days only to see a blue sky like Beijing had to? If countries such as Singapore can look so far ahead into the future and already have limitations in place regarding car ownership (economic mostly) and have worked on their public transportation infrastructure, we need to follow suit.
We need to think this through and formulate a proper solution to tackle the pollution, because it is serious and it’s staring us in the face – you and I are actually breathing it everyday. While some of these alternatives may seem ahead of their times for Delhi, they need to be thought of and implemented now if the city has to match up to its global counterparts in aspects other than concentration of particle matte. Moreover, 13 out of the 20 most polluted cities in world are in India, so this will soon be applicable to the entire nation. Till then, I shall go back to my divisiblity test.
Nakul Khanna is the co-founder of a transport app called Instago. His Twitter handle is @nakulkhanna.