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Sustainable Urban Transport Programme (SUTP)
India is one of the developing economies in the world with roughly 60% of the country’s
GDP coming from urban areas (2005 data) India is continuing its transformation from
a predominately rural to increasingly urban society. Since 1960 India’s total population
has increased three fold, and the urban share has risen from 17% to about 30%. The
urbanization process involves shift of population abetted by accelerated economic
growth and corresponding demographic and spatial expansion of urban areas.
India's surging economic growth and consequent urbanization over the last decade
has led to an inevitable rise in ownership and use of motorized vehicles across
cities and towns. It has been projected that an investment of ` 4,35,380 Crores
(2008-2027) will be required for making improvements in the Urban Transport sector
for 87 cities (Wilbur Smith Report, 2008).
There has been a phenomenal rise in ownership and use of motor vehicles, mostly
small vehicles (2-wheelers and 3-wheelers) and personalized motor cars and at the
same time, continuing decline in the quality of and utilization of traditional Indian
urban transportation modes, including walking, bicycling and conventional bus-based
public transport services. The increase share of motorized transportation mode has
important negative consequences such as increased traffic congestion with longer
and less predictable travel times, traffic accidents, and environmental deterioration
due to increase in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions; resulting into increased transport
costs for businesses, transport operators, and workers.
Safe, affordable, quick, comfortable, reliable and sustainable access for the citizens
to jobs, education, recreation and business is an important aspect of sustainability
of the city it self which can be achieved by a sustainable transport system.
A Transport System to be efficient should provide quicker access to people, goods
and services at a reasonable cost to the users. It should be reliable and comfortable.
The traditional bus services fail short of these requirements. A sustainable transport
system is therefore one that
(i) provides for safe, economically viable, and socially acceptable access to people,
places, goods and services;
(ii) meets generally accepted objectives for health and environmental quality,
(iii) protects ecosystems
(iv) does not aggravate adverse global phenomena, including climate change, stratospheric
ozone depletion, and the spread of persistent organic pollutants.
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