In post-lockdown transit plan, trains should be restarted last: Experts

While the Covid-19 pandemic has halted local transport across the world, it has also called for cities like Mumbai to re-invent and re-plan their mobility strategies.

While the Covid-19 pandemic has halted local transport across the world, it has also called for cities like Mumbai to re-invent and re-plan their mobility strategies. Transport experts have stressed the need for the city to start planning its post-lockdown strategies, along the lines of those in Milan and Paris where roads will be transformed to make more space for cyclists and pedestrians.

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Madhav Pai, director, World Resources Institute (WRI), said, “It is becoming more evident around the world that cycling will be the best means to adopt both, social distancing norms and minimum physical activity. If we run a bicycle donation program in the city, we could donate them to many people who would happily cycle to work. Cycling eight to 10kms within the city should be easily manageable.”

Cities across the world are adopting the ‘avoid-shift-improve’ method, said transport expert Amruta Ponkshe from the Observer Research Foundation. “Even in the post-lockdown period, cities in other countries are asking people to commute only when it is essential and avoid unnecessary travel. They are urged to shift from cramped transit modes like crowded buses to walking, cycling or e-bikes and improve the overall sustainability of transport by increased usage of e-buses or hybrid fuel vehicles.”

Experts also said that this is a good chance for the city to experiment with more bus lanes. Ashok Datar, a transport expert said, “While buses must operate on 2/3rds their capacity with no one standing, we should experiment with bus lanes on arterial roads like the western express highway and eastern express highway.”

Like cities around the globe, transit agencies must restart in a phased manner, said AV Shenoy from the Mumbai Mobility Forum. “Private vehicles, autos, and taxis can be started first, as they can also be controlled easily when it comes to adherence of social distancing norms,” Shenoy said, adding that the suburban railways and Metro must be opened in the final phase, as maintaining physical distance would be next to impossible in trains and the Metro.

Suburban trains must also look at queue control and restricted access, Ponkshe said. “One thing that can be done across transit modes is to issue only 50% tickets. Railways will have to increase security to adhere to queue control and restricted access,” she said.