Mumbai’s Public Transport Behind Its Winning Streak: Report
Those who choose to make Mumbai their home face several challenges. Housing-related issued top that list. Since scores of people pick India’s financial capital as their karmabhumi every day, space-strapped Mumbai suffers from everything that a large population brings along. Homes are comparatively tiny, exorbitantly priced and difficult to find. Long hours are also spent in travelling from home to work and vice versa.
People seem not to mind all these hiccups ─ the advantages of living in Mumbai far exceed the disadvantages. Choosing Mumbai makes even more sense when you compare it with other mega cities of India.
In the government’s ease of living index, Greater Mumbai is ranked third among 111 cities; Navi Mumbai occupies the second spot. National Capital Delhi, on the other hand, is ranked 65th. In the housing inclusiveness category at the index, Greater Mumbai ranks sixth as against Delhi’s 99th position.
A CSE (Centre for Science and Environment) analysis of urban commute shows Kolkata and Mumbai emit least among six megacities due to high usage of public transport and walking. Delhi occupied the place at the bottom in the list which is topped by Bhopal.
"Given the staggering size of its population, Mumbai has the highest volume of trip generation among all the 14 cities. Average trip length of all modes is also the second highest. But, average distances travelled by different modes are comparatively smaller than six other cities. Its vehicle stock is higher than Kolkata but much lower than other megacities," says the CSE report while analysed urban commute and its impact in 14 cities. The report says the city's public transport system, especially the suburban rail system, is behind Mumbai's "winning streak".
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Public transport and para-transit, points out the report, add up to 89 per cent of all motorised trips in Mumbai. In transport & mobility category, Mumbai has also got the eight ranking in the ease of living index. In comparison, Delhi, with its much publicised Metro network, is ranked 55th in that category.
"Mumbai has one of the highest trip lengths for personal vehicles. Yet, its overall guzzling and emissions are comparatively lower as its suburban rail, which has zero local emissions, meets 52 per cent of the travel demand in the city. Despite having highest trip generation and volume of travel, Mumbai could reduce negative impacts by adopting an intelligent public transport strategy," says the CSE report.
And, despite its riches, Mumbai likes to use the public transport, and that certainly keeps it healthier.
“Mumbai has also proved that economic growth need not necessarily translate into high personal vehicle dependence. Even with highest per capita GDP among the six megacities and highest volume of trip generation, use of personal modes is lowest in Mumbai. This has helped Mumbai to have lower emissions and guzzling compared to most other megacities,” says the report.
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