Sustainable transport environment in Indian megalopolis cities: challenges and options

Ashok Kumar, Population Council

India is becoming increasingly urbanized in which the dynamics of population growth, coupled with the current trends of urbanization are highly debilitating. Presently, approximately 30 percent of Indian population is living in cities, out of which about one fifth is residing in six megalopolis cities. Coupled with rapid urbanization each city consists of a number of supporting systems. Transport is one of them, which provides mobility, flexibility and accessibility to urban people. For all practical purposes, a sustainable transport system must offer mobility and approachability to all urban residents in safe, risk-free and eco-friendly mode of transport. This paper deals with the idea and challenge of creating a “sustainable transport environment” in Indian megalopolis-cities, along with a comprehensive discussion on the existing problems of air and noise pollution and poor motorized system of transport. The scheme of this paper is to examine the extent of problems and suggest remedial measures.