Expanding Public Transport Systems Key To Solving India’s Traffic Woes: D.V.S. Raju – Deccan Chronicle

Report on Public Transportation’s Role in Achieving Sustainable Development Goals

Executive Summary

At the ‘Transportation Research Efforts for Ecological Sustainability’ conference, D.V.S. Raju, Chief Electrical Inspector for the Hyderabad Metro Rail Project, underscored the imperative of expanding public transport systems to address urban traffic and environmental challenges. The report highlights how projects like the Hyderabad Metro Rail are pivotal in advancing several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly those related to sustainable cities, climate action, clean energy, and terrestrial ecosystems.

Contribution to SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

The expansion of public transport is presented as a direct strategy for achieving Target 11.2, which aims to provide safe, affordable, and sustainable transport systems for all. The report notes the following key points:

• High-Capacity Solution: Public rail systems offer a high-capacity alternative to private vehicles, significantly reducing urban congestion.
  1. One kilometre of Metro Rail track has the equivalent capacity of seven bus lanes.
  2. The same track length is equivalent to twenty-four car lanes.
• Meeting Urban Demand: The Hyderabad Metro has successfully met a substantial portion of the city’s travel demand, establishing itself as a convenient and effective mode of transport.
• Future Planning: There is a strong recommendation for government departments to prioritize the integration of mass transit systems in all future urban planning projects to build resilient and sustainable cities.

Advancing SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy) and SDG 13 (Climate Action)

The report emphasizes the environmental and energy advantages of Metro Rail, aligning with goals for clean energy and climate action.

• Pollution Reduction: Metro systems are a key tool in mitigating urban air pollution. Conventional vehicles, which run on fossil fuels, are responsible for approximately 70% of pollution in cities.
• Energy Efficiency: The Metro demonstrates significant energy conservation.
  • It consumes only about 10 units of power per kilometre of operation.
  • It contributes to clean energy by generating nearly 35% of its own energy requirements during operation.

Commitment to SDG 15: Life on Land

The project demonstrates a commitment to protecting terrestrial ecosystems, in line with SDG 15, through active environmental restoration efforts.

• Reforestation Initiatives: The Metro Rail project actively participates in the Haritha Haram plantation drive.
• Compensatory Afforestation: For every tree removed during the construction phase, a commitment has been made to plant four to five new saplings.
• Tree Translocation: Wherever feasible, existing trees are translocated rather than removed to preserve biodiversity.

Fostering SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure

The development of the Metro Rail project serves as a case study in building sustainable infrastructure and highlights the need for continuous innovation.

• Public-Private Partnership Model: The first phase, developed with L&T, provided valuable lessons regarding the complexities of such partnerships, informing a more efficient approach for future phases.
• Call for Research: An appeal was made for increased research and development to create future transport systems that are affordable, environmentally safe, and comfortable, driving innovation in sustainable infrastructure.

Analysis of the Article in Relation to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy: The article highlights the energy efficiency of the Metro Rail, stating it “contributes to energy conservation” and “generates nearly 35 per cent of its own energy during operation.” This directly relates to improving energy efficiency and utilizing cleaner energy sources for transport.
• SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure: The core topic is the development of sustainable transport infrastructure (Metro Rail, MMTS). The call for “research on developing transport systems that are affordable, environmentally safe, and comfortable” points towards innovation in infrastructure.
• SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities: The article focuses on expanding public transport to tackle urban problems like traffic congestion and pollution. It explicitly mentions that the Hyderabad Metro has become a “convenient transport option for residents” and that such systems are the “most effective solution to urban congestion.”
• SDG 13: Climate Action: The article addresses climate action by promoting a transport system that minimizes pollution. It contrasts the Metro Rail with “conventional vehicles running on fossil fuels [that] account for 70 per cent of pollution in cities,” positioning the Metro as a solution to reduce emissions.
• SDG 15: Life on Land: The article mentions the Metro Rail’s participation in the “Haritha Haram plantation drive.” The policy of planting “four to five saplings” for every tree removed and translocating trees where possible is a direct action to combat deforestation and promote reforestation.
• SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals: The article explicitly states that the first phase of the Metro Rail was “built through a public-private partnership with L&T,” showcasing a collaboration to achieve sustainable development objectives.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

1. SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy

   • Target 7.3: By 2030, double the global rate of improvement in energy efficiency. The article supports this by describing the Metro Rail as a system that “contributes to energy conservation” and has low power consumption (“10 units of power per kilometre”), making it a highly energy-efficient mode of urban transport compared to conventional vehicles.

2. SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure

   • Target 9.1: Develop quality, reliable, sustainable and resilient infrastructure… to support economic development and human well-being, with a focus on affordable and equitable access for all. The entire article is about developing the Metro Rail as a sustainable infrastructure project to solve urban problems. The call for more research to make transport systems “affordable, environmentally safe, and comfortable” directly aligns with this target.

3. SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

   • Target 11.2: By 2030, provide access to safe, affordable, accessible and sustainable transport systems for all. The article advocates for expanding public transport systems like the Metro Rail and MMTS as the “only way to tackle the growing traffic and environmental problems,” directly addressing the need for sustainable urban transport.

4. SDG 13: Climate Action

   • Target 13.2: Integrate climate change measures into national policies, strategies and planning. The promotion of Metro Rail as a low-pollution alternative to fossil fuel-powered vehicles is a clear example of integrating climate change mitigation strategies into urban transport planning.

5. SDG 15: Life on Land

   • Target 15.2: By 2020, promote the implementation of sustainable management of all types of forests, halt deforestation, restore degraded forests and substantially increase afforestation and reforestation globally. The Metro Rail’s participation in the Haritha Haram plantation drive, with its policy of planting multiple saplings for each tree removed, is a direct contribution to reforestation efforts.

6. SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

   • Target 17.17: Encourage and promote effective public, public-private and civil society partnerships. The article explicitly mentions that the project was “built through a public-private partnership with L&T,” providing a concrete example of this target in action.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

1. For Target 7.3 (Energy Efficiency)

   • Indicator: Energy intensity measured in terms of power consumption per unit of service. The article provides specific data: the Metro “consumes only about 10 units of power per kilometre.”
   • Indicator: Share of renewable/self-generated energy. The article states the Metro “generates nearly 35 per cent of its own energy during operation.”

2. For Target 11.2 (Sustainable Transport)

   • Indicator: Capacity of public transport systems. The article implies this by stating that a “one-kilometre stretch of Metro Rail track equalled seven bus lanes or twenty-four car lanes in capacity.”

3. For Target 13.2 (Climate Action Integration)

   • Indicator: Reduction in pollution/emissions from the transport sector. The article implies this by highlighting that conventional vehicles account for “70 per cent of pollution in cities,” and the Metro offers a solution to minimize this pollution.

4. For Target 15.2 (Reforestation)

   • Indicator: Rate of afforestation/reforestation. The article provides a specific measure: “For every tree removed during construction, we plant four to five saplings in its place.” This ratio serves as a direct indicator of reforestation efforts.

5. For Target 17.17 (Partnerships)

   • Indicator: Number and success of public-private partnerships for sustainable development. The article’s mention of the “public-private partnership with L&T” for the Metro project serves as a qualitative indicator of such collaborations.

4. Summary Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: deccanchronicle.com