Order of the National Green Tribunal in the matter of Gaurav Sharma Vs Govt. of NCT of Delhi & Others dated 03/07/2023. The National Green Tribunal (NGT), July 3, 2023 said that all government hospitals in India should have an environment management plan to tackle all sources of pollution in …
If there are many left turns on a road, then a bus lane on the extreme left will hamper other traffic turning left or turning into traffic. It also means that every time the bus has to stop for traffic lights, it tempts passengers to board or disembark at risky …
A Down To Earth report on the unsustainable growth of personal vehicles. This situation could have been averted had public transport not been neglected. Growth in personal vehicles is unsustainable and the cost of congestion too high Roads in urban India are creaking under the weight of the growing number …
A study on stress levels among bus drivers in Los Angeles shows association between exposure to peak traffic conditions and on-the-job elevations of urinary catecholamines, stress-related hormones. Traffic congestion lowers perceived control, which in turn can result in stress. Journal of Applied Psychology, 1991 Persons reporting traffic stress had lower …
Public transport is the only answer to congestion and pollution The present crisis demands new solutions. And the solution is public transport, for space to accommodate cars is limited and cleaner and fuel-efficient technologies defeated by the number of vehicles. The Delhi government is planning to have 120 km of …
Did the Nobel Prize committee make a mistake when it gave the 2007 Peace Prize to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and former us vice president Al Gore? I wonder. My disquiet is not because the prize recognized and put climate change at the centre of global debate. It …
A project meant to carve out a bus corridor and give pedestrians and cyclists designated space on a 16 km stretch of road in Delhi has resulted in outbursts of anger and acrimony by middle class car owners. Called the bus rapid transit system or the BRT, the roject is …
The congestion in the skies has caught the attention of the high-level committee instituted by the Ministry of Civil Aviation last year. While submitting the "master plan for next generation futuristic air navigation services', the committee headed by former Civil Aviation Secretary Ajay Prasad has recommended that Air Traffic Control …
To alleviate traffic congestion in Central London, the Mayor introduced the Congestion Charging Scheme (CCS) in February 2003. The researchers modelled the impact of the CCS on levels of traffic pollutants, life expectancy and socioeconomic inequalities. The CCS, a localised scheme targeting traffic congestion, appears to have modest benefit on …
The Delhi-Gurgaon Expressway has achieved the dubious distrinction of becoming one of the most controversial projects in the history of India's road infrastructure development. Initiated in 2001 as a first of its kind in India, the project was finally made operational after a delay of over two years. Since its …
There is still no clear vision among planners, policymakers and transport experts about what will make Indian cities better places to live in as far as mobility and access are concerned. The prevailing mythology is that construction of metro rail systems will somehow solve the problems of the future. A …
This paper provides a comparative overview of urban transport in the world’s two most populous countries: China and India. Cities in both countries are suffering from severe and worsening transport problems: air pollution, noise, traffic injuries and fatalities, congestion, parking shortages, energy use, and a lack of mobility for the …
Particulate matter less than PM10 and aromatic chemicals formed during incomplete combustion of organic matter are major environmental pollutants because of their toxic potential. The present study reports on the respiratory morbidity pattern of people exposed to auto exhaust as a result of the traffic load consisting of three varieties …
Commuters' exposure to volatile organic compounds (VOCs) especially BTEX travelling in passenger cars in Kolkata, India were quantified in Phase I (2001–2002) and Phase II (2003–2004). Monitoring was made inside and in the immediate outside of passenger cars fitted with and without catalytic converters using different types of fuels, along …
The ambient air quality monitoring was carried during the May 2003 to April 2004 along the (NH-6) passing through Jalgaon city. The average concentration of SOx 64 μg/m3, NOx 58 μg/m3, particulates (>10 μ) 515 μg/m3 and respirable dust particulates 224 μg/m3 was reported at Prabhat during the study period …
The concept paper describes the problems of the city of Agra and the anxeityy of the Hon'ble Supreme Court articulated in the various orders passed in connection with the Writ Petition (Civil) No. 13381/84-M.C. Mehta Vs. Union of India & Others. The paper also goes on to describe the various …
Judgement of the Supreme Court of India on Taj Mahal dated 30/12/1996 in the matter of M. C. Mehta Vs Union of India & Others. The judges noted that the Taj is threatened with deterioration and damage not only by the traditional causes of decay, but also by changing social …
The outrage over nine per cent fare hike ignited over a million demonstrators in 100 cities across Brazil (Photo courtesy Agencia Brasil) While watching the mob fury on the streets of São Paulo on television recently I was stunned to see how bus fare hike could stoke such urban discontent. …
The initial phase of UPA II witnessed prolific rule making, but this was not followed by responsible governance The United Progressive Alliance II (UPA II) and the Nano car arrived together in 2009. The frenzy of the new electoral win and the Nano, symbolising aspiration, made many smug. No one …
The road accident data from the Union Ministry of Road Transport Highways for the year 2012 shows that every hour one person is either killed or injured in road accident in Delhi. If it is not easy and safe for people to walk and cycle, or access public transport to …
The Delhi government has made a surprising decision to counter the capital's deadly pollution problem - to start alternate day car use. It's a decision which, if implemented, may get rid of at least 50 per cent of Delhi's air pollution. Will this be feasible?
