Sustainable urban mobility in the post-COVID world

Abstract:

An accessible, affordable, reliable, and safe transportation system is critical to provide fair and equitable access to various opportunities, like employment, education, healthcare and recreation for the underprivileged sections of society. Therefore, public transport features prominently in a city’s annual budget as well as in the city’s master plans. However, one element which is left out in the planning and budgeting exercises in most cities in India is the need to enhance the first and last-mile connectivity of a public transit system. A number of researchers have empirically determined the importance of first and last-mile connectivity in sustaining the ridership of a public transit system which merits greater attention from policymakers.While India has been ramping up Metro systems in several cities, the current pandemic has raised several concerns in the minds of the people who need the public transportation system for their daily life. Therefore, the post-pandemic period may see a surge in the usage of private modes of transportation like cars (including, shared mobility services), three-wheelers (autos) and motorcycles which have larger environmental footprints compared to mass transit systems. A shift towards private modes of transport in the short to medium run can increase the demand for more flyovers and elevated roads due to the congestion on existing roads caused by private vehicles. This will also crowd out the budget earmarked for public transportation infrastructure like buses, metros, and intra-city railways in favour of investments on more elevated highways. Therefore, policymakers must incorporate aspects like social distancing in mass transit systems in order to assuage the concerns of people who are using public transportation systems. This will also enhance India’s energy security by reducing India’s growing dependence on imported crude oil.Keywords:first and last-mile connectivity; Energy security; Environmental footprint; Public transit; Social distancing