Date:26/11/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/11/26/stories/2008112653580200.htm

Kerala - Kochi

A crusader for pedestrian rights

Staff Reporter

Photo: H. Vibhu

Enrique Penolosa. —

KOCHI: Denial of pedestrian walkways is a serious violation of human rights and the road space needs to be distributed equitably, says Enrique Penolosa, former Mayor of Bogota.

Mr. Penolosa has a different perspective regarding roads and traffic snarls.

No new roads can reduce traffic jams.

Mass transport

Instead, they increase traffic flow making people use more roads. Bigger roads make people go further and make more traffic jams. While promoting people to use the mass rapid transit systems more, movement of cars through city roads should be restricted, suggested Mr. Penolosa.

It is not the restriction on owning cars but its use. People should be prompted and supported to use cars less and the public transport system more, he suggested.

The former first citizen of Bogota was in Kochi to provide an “insight into the Bus Rapid Transit System” implemented in his city.

He participated in a workshop organised by the German Technical Cooperation (GTZ), Indo German Environment Programme-Advisory Services in Environmental Management.

“The GTZ supports the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission and has invited international experts to share their experience on the field of sustainable urban transport,” a communication said.

What is ideal for a city like Kochi is to have a bus-based mass rapid transport system and exclusive lanes for buses. Once the buses move fast and help the passengers to reach their destinations quicker, people will tend to use the public transport system, he suggested.

Rail-based mass rapid transport systems are expensive when compared to bus-based ones.

Pre-paid stations

There can be pre-paid stations for buses thus reducing the crowding for making the payments, he said.

Pedestrian and bicycle lanes should be created in low-density city areas and this would certainly improve the quality of life, he said.

Regina Dube, senior adviser, GTZ and Balakrishnan Elangovan, India consultant for the Cities Development Initiative for Asia, were also present during the interactive session with Mr. Penolosa.