Bangalore civil society bats for decongesting city traffic, promotes use of public transport
Civil society representatives, corporate professionals and citizens, led by B.PAC and WRI, came together to launch an initiative to decongest Bangalore traffic through a #Personal2Public campaign that motivates commuters shun private transport and use public transport, at least twice a week.
But for decongesting traffic, a dependable, fast and hassle free public transport, preferably a mass rapid transport system like the metro that has helped decongest traffic situation in many cities is a must. In Bengaluru too, the metro when completed promises to do the same.
In what is being seen as a good news for the commuters, important metro lines to Whitefield and Electronic City, the city’s busiest neighbourhoods, will finally open in 2023. The new metro lines can significantly reduce traffic congestion to and from these areas.
All the more reason to improve the viability of the metro and other forms of public transportation is to ease traffic congestion and reduce pollution. Inadequate first- and last-mile connectivity, as well as time spent waiting for viable modes of transportation, are a few factors influencing metro usage.
Walking and low-cost shared modes are the most preferred last-mile modes among metro commuters, according to research to be published in a forthcoming WRI India-Toyota Mobility Foundation working paper. The study also indicates that commuters view the metro as viable only if they can access it within a certain time frame. The key to encouraging more people to take the metro will be to ease traffic and make the final leg of the journey as simple and inexpensive as possible.
The purpose of “The #Personal2Public Bengaluru Commuter Survey” is to analyse commuter travel patterns and locate subway service gaps along these lines. Commuters and residents in the Whitefield, Mahadevapura, Electronic City, and ORR areas will be explicitly contacted to participate in the survey, which is open to everyone. Key stakeholders from BMRCL, BMTC, BBMP, and DULT will be shown actionable solutions at the city and station levels presented by the Personal2Public team once the survey findings have been matched to accessible data analytics.
Revathy Ashok, Managing Trustee and Chief Executive Officer of B.PAC, said “With the extension of the metro lines, we firmly urge commuters to abandon their personal vehicles and begin using public transportation at least twice per week. Positively encouraging is the fact that businesses are the driving force behind the Personal2Public campaign. We also expect our CEOs and business owners to set an example.”
Echoing similar thoughts, Srinivas Alavilli, Fellow at WRI India, said “Bangalore is set to enter a new era this year, as public transportation will reach Whitefield and Electronic City.” Personal2Public is an earnest effort to unite corporations and citizen organizations and to work proactively with all stakeholders to improve first and last-mile access to our metro stations. We believe people will transition to public transportation if we make the experience seamless and comfortable. There can be no success in public transport without footpaths, a dependable bus service, and affordable feeder services.”
The Bangalore Political Action Committee (B.PAC) is a non-affiliated citizens’ group working to improve the city’s administration and the standard of living for all residents. B.PAC specifically targets good governance practices, integrity, and transparency in all government branches, improving the city’s infrastructure and creating a secure environment where the rule of law is guaranteed for all citizens. The WRI works to provide objective data and actionable suggestions to promote environmentally sustainable and socially equitable development. Through research, analysis, and recommendations, WRI India develops transformative solutions to safeguard the environment, promote sustainable livelihoods, and improve human well-being.
