In 2022, it felt like the entire city of Chennai was dug up to redo the stormwater drains. In 2024, parts of the city are again being dug up. This time for the next phase of Chennai Metro. Motorists were and are understandably annoyed by the resulting slow down in traffic and the diversions.
An analysis of the free bus travel scheme for women in Chennai by CAG revealed that it not only saved them money but also allowed them to invest in their family's health and education.
Sumana Narayanan, senior researcher at CAG, writes about how the free travel scheme for women on TN's buses ticks off several boxes: social inclusion of women, promoting sustainable transport, and better educational and health outcomes for families.
CAG surveyed 3000 women across 6 cities to understand the impact of the fare-free public transport scheme for women launched by the Tamil Nadu government. The study found that women were able to save an average of Rs 601 to Rs 800 per month as a result of this scheme. Additionally, the study highlighted that the saved transportation expenses were predominantly invested in the family. Find out more from the full report.
‘Defensive’ is often seen as something negative. The phrase being on the defensive comes to mind, indicating that one has committed an error and is now on the back foot. However, defence can be measures that proactively protects from harm; that anticipate a dangerous, unwanted situation and preempts it.
A laissez-faire attitude towards safety could be said to be a defining Indian characteristic. Everytime we step out of our house, whether we are walking or driving a vehicle, we risk our lives and often the lives of other people on the road. The assumption seems to be that crashes occur to other people and that somehow miraculously we will not come to harm in spite of our foolhardy behaviour.
Few have tried to understand the significance of the free bus travel scheme that a handful of states have introduced. In Tamil Nadu the benefits for women have been definite and palpable, though issues like poor frequency of women-only buses need to be addressed.
CAG's study on the fare free bus scheme for women in Tamil Nadu, points to definite benefits, not just for the individual woman, but the entire household. The soon to be released report assesses the impact of the scheme on women's access to work and leisure activities, and how any money saved, is used to improve family finances.
In the last couple of years, Rapido has become a well-known name in Indian cities. The ride-hailing platform, focussed solely on two-wheelers, has been gaining popularity in cities struggling to deal with congestion. Now the other major ride-hailing platforms - Ola and Uber - are also offering bike taxi services. Rapido has also become a household name as it were because of the recent spate of backlash against it and attempts to get it banned.
According to Chennai’s Comprehensive Mobility Plan 2019, the modal share of private automobiles increased from 2008 to 2018 while that of walk/cycle/public transport decreased.
