Promoting sustainable and equitable transportation worldwide

Leadership Matters: Kunal Kumar IAS in conversation with Shreya Gadepalli

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How can Indian cities embark on a journey of sustainable development? What challenges do local governments face while implementing innovative solutions for urban development? How difficult is it to drive a national mission in a vast country like India? How can cities in India and across the world respond to climate change?

These are fundamental questions for any student of urban development. Kunal Kumar IAS, Joint Secretary, Smart Cities Mission, Ministry of  Housing and Urban Affairs, discusses the roles, experiences, and challenges for government officials and institutions in an exclusive conversation with Shreya Gadepalli, the South Asia Programme Lead, ITDP.

Drawing from his early experience as the Municipal Commissioner of Pune, Kunal Kumar highlights the importance of democratic participation in the city’s meteoric rise as a haven for sustainable urban growth. Mr. Kumar especially stresses the need for administrators to build coalitions and act as anchors to achieve the grand visions for the city’s development. Most importantly, the effective use of communication in getting people to understand policies and governance measures go a long way towards their successful implementation.

In his current role in the national government, Mr. Kumar believes that strategic assistance—which involves giving freedom and enhancing the adaptive capabilities of cities to experiment—needs to be prioritised for the growth of the urban system as a whole. Moreover, Mr. Kumar also highlights how decentralisation must become a key feature of governance. The lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic confirm this trend. Cities that were flexible and adaptive enough to take decisions were able to effectively contain the spread of the disease. 

Lastly, Mr. Kumar argues that for the sustainable growth of cities in the country and across the world, there is an urgent need to leverage data and digital technologies today to enhance decision making. Evidence-based policymaking in a participatory manner must become the norm for policies and planning in the coming years. 

Written by Avishek Jha

This video is a part of MOBILIZE Virtual 2020: Building Collective Action for the Next Decade.

Spotlight on Pune

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Every year, the Sustainable Transport Award is given to a city that has implemented innovative projects to improve mobility,  reduce air pollution and greenhouse emissions, and improve safety and access for pedestrians and cyclists. Pune was awarded the Sustainable Transport Award 2020, making it the second Indian city after Ahmedabad to win this award. 

In the last two decades, Pune has shown an extraordinary commitment to improving sustainable mobility for its people by taking steps to improve walking, cycling, and public transport across the city. This transformation has only been possible through Pune’s relentless efforts to expand sustainable transport infrastructure by allocating resources, implementing institutional reforms, and building capacity. Over the years, the city has forged partnerships with technical experts, civil society groups, and educational institutions to transform Pune into a lighthouse for other cities.

In this video, Pranjal Kulkarni—Senior Research Associate, Urban Development at the ITDP India Programme—takes you through Pune’s journey of ensuring safe, affordable, and sustainable transport with a showcase of the city’s achievements in non-motorised and public transport, and exclusive interviews with the city’s officials who have enabled the city’s dramatic transformation.

Written by Avishek Jha

This video is a part of MOBILIZE Virtual 2020: Building Collective Action for the Next Decade.

She Cycles for Change

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The COVID-19 pandemic has wreaked havoc across the globe with governments initiating immediate and stringent responses to control the spread of the virus, including the imposition of lockdowns and travel restrictions. These restrictions have had immense social and economic costs, disrupting global supply chains, social interaction, and access to livelihoods. Although these costs are borne by everyone, they have exacerbated the pre-existing inequalities and disadvantages for women. Even before the pandemic, there was an urgent need to improve mobility for women. As we come out of lockdown and work towards a green recovery, cycling can play an important role in improving women’s mobility. 

Pandemic or not, women’s mobility in Indian cities has never been easy. Several factors, such as the lack of last mile connectivity, poor or no footpaths, and unreliable public transport services make everyday travel for women a nightmare. The COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent national lockdown worsened these existing difficulties. 

To understand the impact of the lockdown on women’s mobility, the ITDP India Programme conducted a study in May 2020. Through online surveys and conversations with experts working in the field of gender and urban spaces, we found that the lack of options for mobility was one of the biggest obstacles for women during the lockdown. In India, women depend more on public transport than men [1]. The lockdown and the subsequent halt to public transport operations adversely impacted their access to jobs and education.

There is an urgent need for a renewed, gendered focus on urban mobility that prioritises women and their requirements. Other than a necessary focus on improving public transport options, the pandemic has highlighted the need for affordable and sustainable options for women’s mobility to compete in a post-COVID 19 economy. Cycling can play an important role to address this as a sustainable and equitable mode of transport. 

Firoza Suresh, the bicycle mayor of Mumbai, argues that providing cycles along with training programmes for women not only helps them access jobs and education, but also enhances their freedom. She shared the story of a woman who spoke on what cycling would mean for her – “It will be great if you can train me [in cycling]. I don’t have to depend on my husband. If you teach me how to cycle, I will teach it to as many women as possible. Because cycling will give us freedom, it will give us independence.”

What the lockdown did

A complete shutdown of public transport (PT) during the lockdown had a grave impact on women for several reasons. According to Census 2011, women in India make eight out of ten trips on foot, cycle, or PT. With little to no access to personal motor vehicles (unlike their male counterparts), women largely depend on public transport, like buses, sub-urban rail, and metro. In places where PT is not easily available, women rely on Informal Public Transport (IPT) which includes shared autos, mini buses, and rickshaws.

With all PT services halted, the lockdown led to unexpected social and economic consequences for women. According to Nandita Baruah, Country Representative in India of The Asia Foundation, most women who work in the informal sector faced a daunting possibility. If they were unable to get to work or took longer, due to the reduced frequency or unavailability of PT and IPT, the employers would simply choose to bring men to work.

Some cities have PT options that are expensive and unaffordable. This also impacts women more than men. Tara Krishnaswamy of the Citizens for Bengaluru pointed out that, “Urban women are always cash constrained because they do not have a cash buffer like men do. So, if you design mobility systems that have an upfront payment—like a pass—it becomes very difficult for them.” Especially with diminished family earnings, following job losses in the informal sector due to the pandemic, expensive public transport fares force women to take up low paying, riskier jobs that may require less travel.

Urban women are always cash-constrained because they do not have a cash buffer like men do. So, if you design mobility systems that have an upfront payment—like a pass—it becomes very difficult for them.
– Tara Krishnaswamy, a founding member of Citizens for Bengaluru, on expensive and unaffordable public transport

Highlighting that halting PT services impacts women disproportionately, Karen Coelho of the Madras Institute of Development Studies pointed out that women either had to depend on the men in their family for travel or drop out of the work force altogether. In a national survey conducted by the ITDP India Programme to understand people’s travel choices post-lockdown, 41 per cent of female respondents said they did not have any personal motor vehicles, compared to only 17 percent of male respondents. Underlining the significance of mobility in women’s lives, Karen Coelho argues that, “The key concept is autonomy. As long as women are not autonomous in their movement, and are dependent on male family members, they are not mobile.” There is a need to create independent avenues of transport—such as cycling—that provide social and economic mobility for women and reduce their dependence on others. 

The key concept is autonomy. As long as women are not autonomous in their movement, and are dependent on male family members, they are not mobile.
– Karen Coelho, Madras Institute of Development Studies, on the significance of mobility in women’s lives

Cycles for Change

The national government has recognised cycling as an important step towards a green recovery from COVID-19. In June, the Smart Cities Mission of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs launched the India Cycles4Change Challenge to inspire and support cities to implement cycling-friendly initiatives in response to COVID-19. Most importantly, it mandates cities to place the community at the centre of planning and implementation, and encourage participation from diverse groups such as women, children, and the disabled. 

As part of the Challenge, cities have been working on three unique areas that will eventually increase the viability of cycling as an option for women’s mobility. These include initiatives such as training programmes to empower more women to access and use cycles, infrastructural interventions to ensure road safety and personal security, and awareness campaigns to inspire more women to cycle.

Improving access to cycles

Karen Coelho highlights the fact that cycling will work only when women have access to cycles.  According to ITDP India Programme’s survey, 6 out of 10 female respondents said they knew how to ride, but only 1 had a cycle. Providing women with access to cycles through affordable and robust public bicycle sharing programmes, community cycle rental schemes, and training camps for those who need to learn cycling are the first steps to make it a viable option for women. As part of the India Cycles4Change Challenge, several cities such as Kohima, New Town Kolkata, Bhubaneswar, Mangaluru, Tumakuru, Jabalpur, Chandigarh, Ahmedabad, and Nashik have launched unique initiatives such as cycle training camps and free cycle repair clinics.



Women’s cycle rally and training programme for women and children in New Town Kolkata; Free cycle repair clinic in Kohima

Improving safety and security

Firoza Suresh also points out that road safety and personal security are two significant concerns for women while considering a shift to cycling. Since the launch of the Challenge in July 2020, 50 cities across the country have launched perception surveys to understand barriers that citizens face while cycling. With over half a lakh responses, the survey suggested that the biggest barriers faced by men and women while cycling are speeding vehicles, traffic congestion, and poor road surface due to potholes. Issues such as lack of cycle parking, obstructions by parked vehicles, and poor street lighting were also highlighted. According to the survey, 49% of women find cycling unsafe in main roads, while 34% fear cycling in city junctions. The survey also brought out another important concern for women while cycling—one out of every five women said they fear eve-teasing while cycling on the streets. 

As part of the Challenge, the core working team of 52 cities include women members to better address the needs of women for a safer cycling experience. Vadodara has appointed an ‘inclusivity manager’ and Karnataka has conducted a round table discussion to understand the challenges faced by women cyclists.  Cities are actively working on creating inclusive streets that are safe for all users. 

Awareness campaigns

Active participation and support from key stakeholders is crucial to the success of any initiative. To hear personal accounts of women on how cycling has empowered them and given them the freedom of mobility, the #SheCycles4Change and #Cycle2Freedom campaign was launched on 15 August 2020. Through the campaign, women shared their first experience of cycling, stories of achievement, and ideas of how cycling can be made safer for them. The objective was to inspire more women to support their cities in the Challenge and demand safe and high-quality cycling infrastructure. 



Stories shared by women across India as part of the #SheCycles4Change #Cycles2Freedom campaign

The pandemic has created massive difficulties for women, and it is imperative that we do something about it. The country cannot recover if half of its population continues to suffer from these hurdles in a post-COVID era. Together with the cities registered in the India Cycles4Change Challenge, civil society organisations, citizen groups, and local businesses, let’s make India a cycling haven for women. 

If you are a civil society organisation, consultant, corporate, or concerned citizen eager to support your city in improving cycling for women in the India Cycles4Change Challenge, register here – https://bit.ly/30L0vnd

This article is part of a series of articles on the India Cycles4Change Challenge. 

Read Part 1 on the Launch of the India Cycles4Change Challenge

Read Part 2 on 10 ways you can make India a cycling nation

Read Part 3 on the cities’ campaigns and collaboration with their citizens

We are deeply grateful to the experts who shared thier valuable views on the topic with us.

Written by Aila Bandagi 

Expert interviews conducted by Aila Bandagi and Keshav Suryanarayanan

Edited by Avishek Jha and Aishwarya Soni  

[1] Census 2011: 27% of all work trips made by women are on bus and rail. 20% of all work trips made by men are on bus and rail.

Prioritising Streets for People: Reimagining Indian Cities

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The Smart Cities Mission launched another national green recovery initiative—the Streets for People Challenge—with an aim to make Indian cities pedestrian-friendly, lively, and safe. The Challenge was launched by Shri Hardeep Singh Puri, Minister of State, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) in a virtual event conducted on 11 September, 2020, and attended by key city officials, partner agencies, civil society organisations, and other stakeholders. 113 cities across the country have registered to transform their streets.

What is the Streets for People Challenge?

Across the world, COVID-19 has changed the way streets are used, highlighting the importance of streets for inclusive mobility, but also as public spaces for recreation, mental health, and to enhance the liveability of a city. The Streets for People Challenge follows on the heels of the India Cycles4Change Challenge to bridge this crucial gap in the way cities are envisioned and create streets that are safe, healthy, and happy, through quick, innovative, low-cost measures. The Challenge is an initiative of the Smart Cities Mission, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA), in partnership with the ITDP India Programme and supported by the Fit India Movement and Swachh Bharat Mission. It is open to all cities under the Smart Cities Mission, capital cities of States/Union Territories, and cities with a population of over 5 lakh population.

Launch of the Streets for People Challenge

Stages of the Challenge

The Streets for People Challenge will be conducted in two stages. Stage One of the Challenge requires cities to test at least one pilot intervention, comprising a flagship public space project and a liveable neighbourhood, along with the development of a conceptual city-wide scale-up strategy. 11 cities will be selected for Stage Two to further scale-up their transformation. Drawing cues from locations like the Pedestrian Plaza in Chennai and the Golden Temple Heritage Street in Amritsar, the flagship projects are imagined around markets, retail areas, transit hubs, and other prominent places in the city. Cities should also choose neighbourhoods, which can range from mixed-income areas, resettlement colonies, low-income neighbourhoods, and others. In these areas, cities can create pedestrian-friendly or pedestrian-only streets, convert parking spaces to pop-up parks, revitalise dead spaces, and create walking links between large urban blocks. 

Timeline of the Challenge

To ensure well-designed pilot interventions, cities will roll out a design competition for students and professionals across the country. The competition will be launched with a design brief and entries will be evaluated by local officials, citizens, experts, and other stakeholders. To place the community at the heart of the Challenge, the design competition will include a multi-step process, where citizens can take part in discussions and vote for the best entry through a community jury. Cities will also focus on citizen participation through activities such as events and campaigns. 

Cities will participate in a virtual Streets for People Festival in February 2021. Following this, 11 cities will be selected for Stage Two. In this stage, cities will commence implementation of their scale-up plan and work towards a long-term strategy to prioritise walkable and liveable streetscapes. Throughout the Challenge, the ITDP India Programme will provide remote assistance by sharing knowledge resources, conducting online training workshops, and facilitating peer-to-peer interactions between cities.

Taking the first step

The 113 registered cities have already kickstarted the process through the Online Workshop 1, which was conducted on 1 October, 2020, by the ITDP India Programme. Key officials from Amritsar, Chennai, Delhi, and Udaipur presented the learnings from the development of various pedestrian-friendly spaces in their cities. As the officials spoke about the transformation of spaces in these cities, they emphasised key factors such as community feedback sessions and tactical measures to ensure successful interventions. The session was led forward by the ITDP India Programme through a presentation that focussed on a detailed look at the Challenge process for the cities — expanding on their next steps to engage with their communities and begin the design process. 

To facilitate this collaborative transformation, cities are now calling upon passionate individuals to support their city in coordinating, volunteering, documenting, and sponsoring various elements of the Challenge. The city will closely work with these diverse group of individuals to efficiently manage the Challenge in multiple aspects, such as data collection, media coverage, and inclusive participation.

Streets for People, By People

Cities are now in the process of identifying their pilot sites, building support from the community, and gathering momentum through the ‘Open Streets’ Campaign. The campaign aims to showcase a glimpse into the Challenge, by opening streets to pedestrians, cyclists, and other non-motorised transport users. By asking citizens to nominate streets for the campaign and then organising events to bring them together, Bhopal, Jabalpur, Kakinada, and many others are truly embracing this cause. The ITDP India Programme is proud to support the Smart Cities Mission in this national initiative and guide Indian cities to reimagine a future around the needs of people, not cars. 

Written by Aditi Subramanian

Edited by Avishek Jha

To support your city for the Streets for People Challenge, register here – https://smartnet.niua.org/indiastreetchallenge/support-your-city-2/

This article is part of a series of articles on the Streets for People Challenge.

All Aboard the Sustrans Bandwagon: The Urbanlogue Journey

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When COVID-19 started to take over the world, little did one imagine an entire planet would come to a grinding halt to contain the virus. Public transport services were affected worldwide, motorists no longer on the streets, people began to move differently, both within the confines of their house and outside of it. The crisis gave birth to an opportunity, and as people embraced walking and cycling again, and realised the important role played by public transport, ITDP India Programme launched the Urbanlogue Series 2, to shape and influence a more sustainable, resilient, and inclusive recovery for the country from COVID-19.

What is Urbanlogue?

Over the last 20 years, the ITDP India Programme has been working to transform urban transport systems across the country with improvements in walking, cycling, and public transport infrastructure. This gradual change has been facilitated by inspired political leadership, innovative city officials, and active participation and support from citizens and civil society organisations. 

With the primary objective to scale up this transformation to the whole country, the ITDP India Programme launched the Urbanlogue Capacity Development Programme. The focus of the programme has been on offering knowledge to help officials expand their horizons from the perspective of sustainable mobility. We’ve been actively working towards capacity development and holding training workshops for officials from numerous corporations and planning committees. Over the last decade, the ITDP India Programme has trained over 3000 government officials, engineers, stakeholders, and practitioners in over 50 workshops and over 20 study tours. 

In 2019, we decided to take Urbanlogue digital with the first Urbanlogue webinar series launched in July comprising eight episodes focussed on creating a roadmap to sustainable mobility for India. Urbanlogue Webinars – Series One received great support, reaching an audience of nearly 2500 public officials, professionals, students, and urban enthusiasts across the country. 

The webinars included experts from the ITDP India Programme and other governmental and civil society organisations. Some of them included Shreya Gadepalli, South Asia Programme Lead of ITDP India Programme, Rutul Joshi from CEPT University, Abhijit Lokre, co-founder of The Urban Lab, Sanskriti Menon from the Centre for Environment Education, and Raj Cherubal of the Chennai Smart City Limited, among others. 

COVID-19 and Urbanlogue 

In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic brought our cities to a grinding halt. As countries around the world introduced lockdowns, streets turned empty, cars disappeared, public transport systems shut down, and people were forced to stay home. The crisis is not just a health crisis, but an economic crisis as well. It is crucial to ensure a green, equitable, and inclusive recovery as cities look to bounce back from the pandemic’s impact. In order to shape India’s green recovery for the transport sector, the Smart Cities Mission (SCM), Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) launched the Urbanlogue Webinars – Series Two in partnership with the ITDP India Programme. The Transport & ICT Group of the World Bank and the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit GmbH (GIZ) were knowledge partners on this series. 

In its second avatar, the six episode-series saw over 5500 registrations from 180 Indian and international cities. While city officials were the primary target audience, the series also witnessed widespread participation from consultants, researchers, students, members of civil society organisations, foundations, and financial institutions. 

In order to spur the conversations around green recovery and suggest the best practices for travel in a post-COVID era, the webinars covered topics ranging from COVID-safe transport solutions and the need for street interventions to expand space for cycling and walking, to digital innovations for formal and informal public transport. The series brought together a host of experts from the governmental and non-governmental spheres for the webinar, including Kunal Kumar, Joint Secretary of the Smart Cities Mission, MoHUA, Gerald Ollivier, Lead Transport Specialist at the World Bank, Peter Broytman of the Senate Department of Environment, Transport, and Climate Protection in Berlin, Swati Khanna, Senior Sector Specialist, Urban Development and Mobility at KfW, and Mohammed Mezghani, Secretary-General of the International Association of Public Transport (UITP), among others.

Building on the immense success of the webinars and the massive response from a diverse audience, the Smart Cities Mission, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs and to initiate the on-ground transformation for a green recovery, the Smart Cities Mission, MoHUA launched two national initiatives—the India Cycles4Change Challenge and the Streets for People Challenge—to improve cycling and walking across the country. The ITDP India Programme is the knowledge partner for the Smart Cities Mission to conduct the two Challenges. 

Urbanlogue Podcasts: Taking the next step

Over the two webinar series, Urbanlogue has featured more than 45 sustainable transport experts. Building on these conversations, the ITDP India Programme launched the most recent addition to the Urbanlogue programme—the Urbanlogue Podcast—in August 2020 to take the digital dialogue forward. Keeping the focus on actionable knowledge intact, the podcast is aimed at inspiring action to address the various challenges to the development of sustainable transport initiatives across the country. The podcast is the next step to reach new and diverse audiences in the Urbanlogue journey of transforming our cities for a more sustainable future. 

Written by Avishek Jha

Edited by Keshav Suryanarayanan

Cycling with the citizens, collaborating with the community

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Cover image source: Ahmedabad

India’s journey with the India Cycles4Change Challenge

The Smart Cities Mission, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) launched the India Cycles4Change Challenge in partnership with the Fit India Mission, Swachh Bharat Mission, and the ITDP India Programme to inspire cities to implement quick cycling-friendly interventions in the wake of COVID-19. The Challenge is gaining momentum with the 107 registered cities—including all 100 Smart Cities—pedalling their way forward in the first stage of the initiative. The ITDP India Programme, as the knowledge partner for the Challenge, successfully conducted three online workshops to give cities remote guidance on planning and implementation of cycling interventions, communications and outreach, and community engagement strategies. 

Cycle rally with citizens conducted by New Town Kolkata

The India Cycles4Change Challenge encourages cities to use stakeholder engagement and community participation strategies to involve people in the decision-making process. Over 2000 citizens and civil society organisations (CSOs) have registered so far to support their cities in the Challenge. Local cycle groups, corporates, and NGOs have also joined hands with cities in this cycling transformation. The participating cities have shown great enthusiasm and organised a range of innovative events, initiated cycling-friendly interventions, and employed creative branding strategies to win people’s support and get cycles back on the streets.

Kick-starting the Cycle of Change

The ITDP India Programme is the knowledge partner for the India Cycles4Change Challenge, helping cities implement their vision of cycle-friendly streets by building capacity through  regular interactive online workshops. The broad range of topics covered in the three online workshops thus far include ‘Planning Cycling Networks’, ‘Conducting Perception Surveys’, ‘Engaging with Citizens’, ‘Dos and Don’ts: Designing streets for cycling’, and ‘Building momentum for cycling’. Each workshop comprised expert discussions, technical presentations from the team at the ITDP India Programme, and peer learning sessions through panel discussions with representatives from various participating cities.

Speaking at the first workshop session conducted on 22 July 2020, Shreya Gadepalli, South Asia Programme Lead, ITDP, highlighted safety, continuity, comfort, personal security, and access to all as the key principles for creating cycling-friendly cities. She encouraged the cities to strive towards making these a reality through collaborative processes with citizens as partners.

Principles for creating cycling-friendly cities

Frontrunners such as Coimbatore, New Town (Kolkata), Chandigarh, Kohima, Surat, Bangalore, Aizawl, Nagpur, and Rajkot shared their experiences and learnings from implementing cycling initiatives in the past and the present. The diverse strategies used for citizen engagement shed light on the importance and possibilities of collaborative planning. 

Consultations, Campaigns, Cycle camps and clinics, and more!

Several cities have conducted regular brainstorming and consultation sessions with diverse stakeholders with an objective to build a unified vision for communication, outreach, and planning. More than 40 cities have formed core working teams with participation from citizens, experts, CSOs, corporates, and non-governmental organisations among others. The cities have made attempts to prioritise inclusivity in decision-making by ensuring representation from women and other social groups in their teams.

The cities are actively conducting outreach using social media platforms to share information about their progress and connect with citizens for public consultations. These efforts are being complemented with regular interaction with the print media, the use of banners, and localised campaign drives. 

Social media posts from cities across the country

Cities also launched a national ‘Cycle2Freedom’ campaign on 15 August 2020 to further deepen the partnership with their citizens vis-à-vis the challenge. Anchored to the nation-wide Independence Day celebrations, the campaign encouraged people to share stories on how cycles have empowered them, and given them freedom, along with their initial experiences with cycling. The ‘SheCycles4Change’ initiative was also launched as an integral part of the ‘Cycle2Freedom’ campaign to emphasise cycling as a safe and accessible option for women. 

Stories from cities as part of the ‘Cycle2Freedom’ campaign

Cities also kick-started various cycling-friendly initiatives. In New Town (Kolkata), cycling training camps attracted commuters, especially women and children to pick up cycling as an independent mode of travel. Kohima launched free bike repair clinics to help citizens fix their cycles and get onto the streets. Faridabad tested out a pop-up cycle lane along one of its prime industrial corridors. Cities including Nagpur, Surat, Agartala, and Ahmedabad initiated active conversations with citizens through on-ground rallies and virtual consultations.

Cycling-friendly initiatives from cities

Cities across the country have displayed utmost creativity and contextual diversity with their events, interventions, and strategies.  The ITDP India Programme is playing a pivotal role by sharing detailed guidance, resources, and templates for the successful realisation of the unified vision of creating cycling-friendly cities. The cities are well on the way to creating successful pilot interventions!

Are you a cycling enthusiast? 

Fix your cycle and get on to the street! The cities are geared up to TEST-LEARN-SCALE!

If you are a civil society organisation, consultant, corporate or concerned citizen eager to support your city in the India Cycles4Change Challenge, register here – https://bit.ly/30L0vnd

This article is part of a series of articles on the India Cycles4Change Challenge.

Read Part 1 in the series on the Launch of the India Cycles4Change Challenge

Read Part 2 in the series on 10 ways you can make India a cycling nation

Written by Balanagendran
Edited by Avishek Jha and Aditi Subramanian

10 ways you can make India a cycling nation!

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An infographic blog

If you are a civil society organisation, consultant, corporate or concerned citizen eager to support your city in the India Cycles4Change Challenge, register here – https://bit.ly/30L0vnd

This article is part of a series of articles on the India Cycles4Change Challenge.

Read Part 1 in the series on the Launch of the India Cycles4Change Challenge

Designed by Sujai Chandran and Aishwarya Soni

Chennai’s Streets for People initiative wins the Ashden Awards

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Over the last five years, Chennai’s Streets for People initiative has been instrumental in transforming over hundred kilometres of the city’s streets for more accessible and equitable mobility. An initiative of the Greater Chennai Corporation with technical support from the Institute for Transportation and Development Policy (ITDP) India Programme, the Streets for People initiative has been selected as the winner of the acclaimed international Ashden Awards 2020 in the Sustainable Mobility (International) category.

Rethinking Urban Mobility

With citywide lockdowns and the suspension of public transport systems, COVID-19 has forced cities to rethink urban mobility. The pandemic has illustrated what streets without cars could look like, and people around the world have reclaimed their street spaces for mobility or access to essentials and services among others. More importantly, the lockdown has amplified the importance of walking and cycling as affordable, equitable, and sustainable modes of transport for a large section of the urban population. 

The Streets for People initiative in Chennai was aimed at improving walking and cycling infrastructure and enables people to move safely through the city. In Chennai, these streets proved extremely effective during the lockdown, enabling physical distancing and safe movement in neighbourhoods. As cities reopen and physical distancing becomes the new normal, the importance of such people-friendly initiatives for pedestrians and cyclists grows manifold.

The Ashden Award celebrates the city and its citizens for accomplishing such an amazing feat. In essence, the award recognises ITDP India Programme’s objectives to improve the quality of life in cities so that future generations inherit urban spaces that are liveable, equitable, and sustainable. The awards highlight sustainable solutions that tackle global issues such as climate change and create equitable societies. Chennai’s Streets for People initiative is among the 11 winners at the annual Ashden Awards, which was held on July 2nd 2020 in a virtual ceremony. The winners were chosen from over 200 applicants working on creating resilience, green growth, and fairer societies. 

The Chennai Streets for People Initiative

Since 2013, Chennai has been transforming its streets for safety, comfort, and inclusivity. In 2014, the city adopted the Non-Motorised Transport (NMT) Policy, to dedicate 60 percent of its budget towards NMT. Chennai was the first Indian city to adopt a policy of this kind. Since then, with the support of the ITDP India Programme, the city has – 

  • Before-The Pondy Bazaar Pedestrian Plaza
    After-The Pondy Bazaar Pedestrian Plaza
    Before The Pondy Bazaar Pedestrian Plaza After
  • Before-The Pondy Bazaar Pedestrian Plaza
    After-The Pondy Bazaar Pedestrian Plaza
    Before The Pondy Bazaar Pedestrian Plaza After
  • Before-The Pondy Bazaar Pedestrian Plaza
    After-The Pondy Bazaar Pedestrian Plaza
    Before The Pondy Bazaar Pedestrian Plaza After
  • Before-The Pondy Bazaar Pedestrian Plaza
    After-The Pondy Bazaar Pedestrian Plaza
    Before The Pondy Bazaar Pedestrian Plaza After

Impact of the work 

Lauded as making Chennai the “walking capital of the country” by L. Nandakumar, Chief Engineer, Greater Chennai Corporation, these interventions have led to wider footpaths, cycle-sharing systems, and last-mile connectivity in the city of Chennai. The initiative has helped in transforming over 120 kilometres of streets to be safe and accessible for pedestrians across the city. The project has improved access to roughly 300 bus stops and over 60 schools. Moreover, it has also helped in the effective implementation of parking management systems in approximately 500 kilometres of streets. 

  • Before-The transformation of Chennai's streets
    After-The transformation of Chennai's streets
    Before The transformation of Chennai's streets After
  • Before-The transformation of Chennai's streets
    After-The transformation of Chennai's streets
    Before The transformation of Chennai's streets After
  • Before-The transformation of Chennai's streets
    After-The transformation of Chennai's streets
    Before The transformation of Chennai's streets After
  • Before-The transformation of Chennai's streets
    After-The transformation of Chennai's streets
    Before The transformation of Chennai's streets After

Globally, cities like Paris, Milan, and London have allocated significant portions of their budgets towards creating walking and cycling-friendly infrastructure. Chennai has taken similar action through the Mega Streets programme, to create a city-wide network of streets with a lifespan of at least 30 years thereby prioritising ‘Liveability, Mobility, and Utility’. Launched earlier this year, the project aims to transform 1000 kilometres of streets in the city. The Government of Tamil Nadu, in its annual budget speech in February 2020, has expressed its intent to invest over USD $500M to replicate Chennai’s success in ten other cities, which will transform over 1600 kilometres of streets across the state.

A shining example for Indian cities

Chennai’s Streets for People initiative is a gamechanger in terms of transforming India’s cities into more equitable and people-friendly urban spaces. Moreover, the government’s intention to expand the project represents its potential to transform streets across Tamil Nadu for future generations. The Ashden award recognises and celebrates the success of Chennai’s Streets for People project done by the Greater Chennai Corporation supported by ITDP India Programme as not just the first step in scaling up across Tamil Nadu, but also as a lighthouse for urban development across the country. 

Written by Avishek Jha

Edited by Keshav Suryanarayanan

India pedals to a green recovery from COVID-19

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Launch of the India Cycles4Change Challenge 

The Smart Cities Mission, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA), Government of India, in partnership with the ITDP India programme hosts the India Cycles4Change Challenge aiming for a green recovery from COVID-19. Shri Hardeep Singh Puri, the Minister of State, MoHUA, launched the Challenge on 25th June 2020 at the 5th Anniversary Celebration of the Smart Cities Mission. The Challenge aims to inspire a nation-wide transformation, with an ambitious vision of creating over 10,000 kilometres of attractive cycling infrastructure and adding 100 million new cycles to our cities to make cycles accessible to every citizen. 107 cities—including all 100 Smart Cities— from across the country have registered for the Challenge and are set to create a cycling revolution.

What is the India Cycles4Change Challenge? 

The India Cycles4Change Challenge is a one-of-its-kind nationwide challenge to inspire Indian cities to embrace a cycling transformation. The Challenge is an initiative by the Smart Cities Mission, MoHUA in partnership with the ITDP India Programme and is supported by the Fit India Movement and the Swachh Bharat Mission. The Challenge encourages cities to implement quick cycling-friendly interventions in the wake of COVID-19, with support from experts and citizens. The Challenge is open for all cities under the Smart Cities Mission, capital cities of States/UTs, and all cities with a population of more than 5 lakh people. 

On July 10th 2020, the Smart Cities Mission, MoHUA launched the online Challenge portal and opened registrations for all eligible cities to apply. Over 450 participants attended the launch event, including CEOs of Smart Cities, Commissioners, city officials, civil society organizations, experts, and citizens.

Launching the Challenge portal, Kunal Kumar- IAS, Joint Secretary, Smart Cities Mission, spoke about the vision for the India Cycles4Change Challenge, “The COVID-19 pandemic is an opportunity for cities to reinvent themselves. Cycling offers us a healthy, affordable, and COVID-safe solution for a green recovery. Through this Challenge, the Smart Cities Mission offers cities an opportunity to transform themselves into cycling-friendly cities for everyone.” 

Stages of the Challenge 

Presenting the Challenge brief, Shreya Gadepalli- South Asia Programme Lead, ITDP, highlighted the importance of a TEST-LEARN-SCALE approach, “In a collaborative process, Indian cities should TEST through pilots, LEARN together with citizens and experts, and SCALE-up interventions. The Challenge is a unique opportunity to explore a wide range of physical interventions, policy reforms, and schemes towards making our cities cycling-friendly.” 

Spanning across a year, the Challenge will happen in two stages. Stage One will run until October 2020, and cities will pilot quick interventions to promote cycling, as well as develop a scale-up strategy. The pilot interventions should focus on making cycling safe and fun by creating pop-up cycle lanes, dedicated parking, and traffic-calmed slow zones. In addition, cities could launch programmes such as a public bicycle-sharing system, community-led cycle rental schemes, and cycle repair clinics. 

Stages of the Challenge

At the end of Stage One, cities will be assessed and 11 shortlisted cities will receive funding of Rs. 1 Crore each. In Stage Two, to be held until May 2021, the selected cities will receive guidance from national and international experts to scale-up the initiatives. The process will repeat multiple times to encourage cities to embrace a cycling transformation.

Throughout the Challenge, the ITDP India Programme will guide cities with online workshops, technical resources, discussions with experts, and peer-to-peer learning sessions with the other registered cities.

Transforming Indian cities, one step at a time

107 cities across the country have registered for the India Cycles4Change Challenge

In response to the pandemic, Indian cities have been actively promoting cycling as a safe means of commuting and exercising. Even before the launch of the Challenge, Kolkata has proposed a dedicated cycle corridor by reclaiming parking spaces. The city will conduct a preliminary road survey over the next four months, and aims to implement the project by early 2021.  In cities like Jaipur, Pune, Pimpri Chinchwad, and Guwahati, Civil Society Organisations and local champions have started conducting surveys for citizens to vote for the best routes for bicycle lanes in the city. The Cycles4Change Challenge has transcended this spirit at the nation-level. 107 cities—including all 100 Smart Cities—from across the country have registered to be part of this cycling revolution. Cities like Bhopal, Chandigarh, Kohima, Kolkata, Prayagraj, Surat, and many more have launched extensive campaigns with the support of cyclist groups and interested citizens, spreading the word through social media and newspapers.

The ITDP India Programme is proud to partner with the Smart Cities Mission to inspire Indian cities to create streets for cycles and people, not just for cars. With a strong vision and platform to learn, share, and experiment, Indian cities are all set to make the COVID-19 crisis an exhilarating opportunity to reimagine urban mobility. It’s time to pedal our way to a green recovery and a resilient future. 

If you are a civil society organisation, consultant, corporate or concerned citizen eager to support your city in the India Cycles4Change Challenge, register here – https://bit.ly/30L0vnd

This article is part of a series of articles on the India Cycles4Change Challenge.

Read Part 2 in the series on 10 ways you can make India a cycling nation

Written by Balanagendran
Edited by Keshav Suryanarayanan
Graphic Design by Sujai Chandran and Aishwarya Soni

COVID Response: Post-lockdown Guidelines for Bus Operations

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An infographic blog

The COVID-19 outbreak has posed unprecedented challenges for public bus users and service providers. To help build their resilience during this pandemic, ITDP India Programme has prepared a simple step-by-step guidelines document for the public bus service providers in India– providing recommendations to ensure the smooth and safe functioning of our city bus services.

With a fleet of 1.4 lakh buses, the public bus services in India serve nearly 7 crore passengers everyday and operate over 1645 crore km annually. These guidelines will help them bounce back after the lockdown and serve the people safely.

Designed by: Aishwarya Soni
Guidelines prepared by: Anuj Dhole, Kawin Kumaran, Vaishali Singh, Sivasubramaniam Jayaraman