What India Can Learn From The World To Manage Traffic Better

With 1.30 billion people, India alone constitutes 17.25 per cent of the total world population. According to National Population Stabilisation Fund (NPSF), an autonomous body under the Union Health Ministry, this number is growing at a rate of 1.6 per cent. Given the bulk of population, the challenge is to cater to this number with resources that are far too less, or ill-managed or underutilised to be of use. Also, because there is continuous rural to urban migration, transport infrastructure in bigger cities has always been under pressure while authorities look at ways to make it more efficient.

Here are some countries that have commendable transport infrastructure and sustainable ways of keeping roads congestion-free. Perhaps India could draw a lesson:

Japan

The Japanese are not averse to cleaning up public property. Therefore, while you will find litter on the streets, you would also be surprised to know that Japan, a country known for its automobile industry uses it sparingly. Cars are weekend-luxury for most and public transport is the preferred option for many who commute to and from work or studies. Therefore, 'peak hours' do not hold the same amount of chaos as we make it out to be in India. Those who need to use cars use particular lanes and do not mind paying a little extra to avoid traffic on roads.

What if the public transport collapses? Well, the operating company would reimburse the charges to the passenger. Moreover, while you may be paying anywhere between Rs 20-150 per hour for car parking, free parking spaces in malls and restaurants are common in Japan.

Singapore

If you are complaining about the traffic, turn to Singapore. Only 15 per cent of the population herein boasts a car. To own a car in Singapore, you need to cough up 100 per cent tax plus a certificate of entitlement. This deters many from owning a car.

China

China has to be on this list because being the most populous country in the world, our problems are similar to that of China's. By June 2016, five cities in China contracted with TEB Technology Development Company that came up with the Transit Elevated Bus. This bus can glide over traffic lanes and transport as many as 1,200 passengers in elevated compartments. The best part is that it runs on solar energy and costs just one-sixteenth of what a subway would cost the authorities in China.

Netherlands

Research has shown that before Netherlands looked anything like what it is today, it was in the same dilemma as is cities like Bengaluru. Today, these cities boast sustainable mobility methods. You may want to read this.