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As someone who regularly commutes to work and college using public transport, I have realized that the biggest challenge in urban mobility is not always the metro itself; it is the journey before and after it. 

With quotes from Jane Jacobs

“It may be that we have become so feckless as a people that we no longer care how things work, but only what kind of quick, easy outer impression they give. If so, there is little hope for our cities or probably for much else in our society. But I do not think this is so.” - Jane Jacobs

Did you know that 95 of the world’s hottest cities are in India? No wonder Chennai, being one of the flaming 95, has summers that feel longer and hotter.

The handful of times I have had the privilege of witnessing a vehicle stop for me while I cross the road, I have initially been struck with relief and an overwhelming sense of gratitude. I find myself trying to thank the driver nonverbally via a thumbs-up or a smile after they pass, hoping my appreciation reaches them through their windshield.

It is just three months into the new year and already we have been confronted with a series of tragic road crashes.

170000. One hundred and seventy thousand. Each of these numbers has a name. A name that’s precious to a circle; to whom this person represented more than a statistic. This number represents the total number of lives lost on our roads in 2025, working out to 465 lives a day. Unfortunately, this number along with other data about why and how these crashes occur are not a part of our general perceptions about safety and risk assessments.

Speed gives us a sense of freedom. The open road, the wind in our faces, the vast blue sky overhead. Cars and bikes are often advertised as speed machines with little thought given to their safety features. Yet, apart from the ever present danger to life, this thrill has another cost that is often ignored. Speeding pollutes the air, damages ecosystems, endangers wildlife, and ultimately harms the very environment that makes these journeys enjoyable.

The Union Government budget of 2026-27 has allocated a whopping 3.09 Lakh crore rupees to the Ministry of Road Transportation and Highways (MoRTH), an increase of 7.9% compared to the 2.87 lakh Crores allocated in the 

அறிமுகம்

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.