Policy to ease traffic has gone nowhere

Road ministry identified bike-sharing, carpooling and e-rickshaws as ways to deal with rising pollution in major cities.

The Centre’s push for new modes of transportation to deal with traffic and pollution has not found traction amongst states.

The Centre had prepared a framework for a state transport department to allow two-wheeler taxi permits, on the lines of those for city taxis, for economical and convenient last-mile connectivity. 

The government said it was highly recommended that private bikes be allowed for such transportation to facilitate use of idle assets. The state governments should also consider an online option to easily convert private bikes into taxis.

“The states have to leverage this and it is up to them to implement it in letter and spirit. Enough room has been given to the states for making it a success,” a road ministry official said.

In a recent report on taxi policy guidelines, aimed at promoting urban mobility, the ministry of road transport and highways had identified bike-sharing, carpooling and e-rickshaws as means to deal with growing pollution in major cities.

The report also talked about the need for shared mobility. It earmarked demand for urban mobility as the single biggest challenge of rapid urbanisation.

‘Economic growth in the country has led to an increase in aspirations and desires of citizens as well. One of the most significant indicators is the rise in car/individual vehicle ownership,’ the report said.

In 15 years, 20 million new cars have come to the roads, according to official estimates.

According to industry calculations, however, the average occupancy of a car is 28 per cent and has a carrying capacity of 1.15 persons.

The government has deemed this low utilisation and high ownership model unsustainable. Thus rose the requirement of policy intervention to encourage shared cars.

Road Minister Nitin Gadkari said the bike-sharing model was successful in Goa and some parts of Haryana and urged other states to encourage technology innovations on these lines.

Last year, the Karnataka government had declared as illegal bike-taxi services. It had also barred Uber and Ola from launching such services.