In Delhi, many people rely heavily on buses and bicycles for transit. It was the working class’s favourite form of transportation before the metro was invented. Even now, compared to the fancier air-conditioned metro, they get a larger daily passenger.
Every day, buses in Delhi transport over 42 lakh commuters. A bicycle is owned by around 30.6% of Delhi homes, and 11% of working people commute by bicycle, according to the 2011 census.
Everyone must have access to opportunities and urban services, which depends on mobility. Every resident has a preferred method of transportation, has various challenges, and has particular needs. Therefore, if a city is interested in addressing mobility disparities, it must make efforts to comprehend and meet the demands of all its citizens.
It’s crucial to comprehend this if you want to move around cities effectively. It is essential to concentrate on improving the transportation infrastructure given the rising pollution levels in Delhi
In Delhi, however, city planning and design for the working class are frequently disregarded or undervalued.
The world’s major cities all have excellent public transit networks that make it simple and quick to move around the city. The infrastructure for buses and bicycles must be urgently improved if Delhi is to grow into a world-class metropolis and encourage commuters to abandon their private vehicles.
Accessibility and comfort will contribute to public transportation being preferred over private vehicles. We can only persuade commuters to switch if there is sufficient capacity and infrastructure available. It is not only more affordable than other forms of transportation, but it is also a greener choice.
The way forward
Given all of these obstacles, Delhi is about to experience a lot of positive developments. A good change is the arrival of electric buses. Last month saw the introduction of 100 buses, and 200 more are about to follow. The infrastructure for charging is currently being installed.
If the entire transportation strategy aims to create a mobility network that is both environmentally friendly and advantageous to road users of all types, such as pedestrians, automobiles, public transportation, etc., it will be more successful for cycling.
To make citizens and decision makers more aware of this problem, we installed a tall 8 feet tall LED screen on a street in Delhi with heavy traffic congestion. On the screen is displayed an imagined version of the city in a sustainable future. Called ‘Future City Installation’.
The goal is to advance the cause of improved road systems and cleaner air in the Capital. In order to demonstrate the prospect of an eco-friendly future, Augmented Reality (AR) is used to digitally move someone standing in front of the structure to a future with superior facilities like dedicated cycling lanes, EV charging stations, blue sky, and green zones.
On December 12, it was officially opened, and installation remained at Kingsway Camp through Sunday. To advance the cause, Jhatkaa.org members engaged in a variety of engagement initiatives. Additionally, the organisation encouraged citizen groups to the installation to sign petitions they had published.
