Divya Arvind, Researcher

If you think that wearing masks was the mark of safety over the Covid years, think again of residents of metropolitan cities such as Delhi where wearing masks had already been the norm - a practice particularly essential over the winter months when air pollution levels were (are) shockingly high. While the Covid virus was no doubt a killer, Delhi-ites were already familiar with another one — air pollution, silently choking the city long before the pandemic arrived.   

Who does our city belong to? Is it the pedestrians’ - people on errands, senior citizens taking their evening walks, children walking to school ? The lack of safe and continuous pavements in our city says a loud NO. Is it the bicyclists’ - the school children, the daily workers, the recreational cyclists who all traverse this city on two wheels? The lack of cycle paths say a resounding NO. Is it for the buses - that take at least 40 people to work, to school and back home? The lack of a bus lane for its smooth and congestion free travel says an emphatic NO.

Bicycles for a Greater Good

Introduction 

In 2022, India recorded 461,312 road accidents, resulting in 168,491 fatalities and leaving 443,366 people injured, marking notable increases of 11.9%, 9.4%, and 15.3% respectively compared to the previous year.

Introduction 

Chennai has a complex transportation system with a mix of buses, rail, metro, autos, taxis, and all the other private transport means. The public network systems, while vast, are not always tied in efficiently, meaning that commuters are often left with lags in their journeys as they switch modes (for example from a Metro train to a bus). To make these crossovers easy and painless, Chennai’s fleet of autorickshaws and taxis should be able to step in the gap, at least in part, operating as first and last mile connectivity agents.

India has seen a consistent rise in road crash fatalities, driven by expanding road networks and faster vehicles. In 2023 alone, Tamil Nadu recorded 18,347 road fatalities, with Chennai accounting for 504 of these deaths.

This article first appeared in Citizen Matters on January 11, 2025