SDG 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure | SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA)
Speaking at the FICCI Urban Transportation Conclave, the Additional Secretary at the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) announced ministry’s willingness to support pilot projects for Solar-cooled Walkways to fundamentally redefine India’s urban mobility landscape. This intervention addresses the severe inequity in road space, where private cars (owned by 25–30% of the population) consume 80% of the road area, leaving 30% of daily commuters who walk unserved. The goal is to encourage non-motorized movement for short trips below five kilometers.
The share of public transport in urban commutes has plummeted from nearly 60% in 1994 to less than 35% today.
MoHUA mandates redefining mobility to recognize walking and cycling as legitimate “trips” in transportation planning.
Novel pricing mechanisms, including zone-based congestion charges (’suffix cost’), may be necessary to regulate private vehicle entry once public transport is significantly improved.
Concurrently, the National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC) reported significant progress in indigenous manufacturing, with 80% of Metro and Regional Rapid Transit System components now made in India. However, eliminating the remaining 20% import dependency and addressing critical skill shortages remain urgent priorities.
Policy Relevance
The proposed innovation and shift in planning mandate prioritize human movement over private vehicles, addressing the fundamental governance challenge of ‘equity in road space’ and directly aligning transportation policy with climate resilience and public health.
Relevant Question for Policy Stakeholders: Beyond pilot projects, what integrated financing and land-use policies are required to mainstream non-motorized transport as the core of India’s new urban mobility model?
Follow the full news here: Willing to support a pilot on Solar-cooled Walkways