4:00 P.M., 26th February 2010
Room 413, Indian Social Institute, Lodhi Road
Transport is central to the life of all metropolises, and in the past few years, mobility, organisation and control of the street have been central motifs of debates on the city. With the highest number of private car ownership, the highest accident mortality rates of any city in India, the question of how transport is to be organized has become a pressing and crucial question in Delhi. From bitter fights over the introduction of CNG, to campaigns in the press against the introduction of the Bus Rapid Transit system, who controls and accesses the streets has animated vociferous and provocative debates. While the decreasing costs of cars means over a 1000 cars are added to Delhi’s roads everyday, it is also true that almost 80% of people on Delhi’s roads are cyclists, pedestrians and those who use buses. Add to this the fact that the street is the preserve not only of people getting from one place to the other, but also the site of livelihood for many – a site of contestation and conflict. It is clear that any transport policy will have to take into account these conflicting visions, and a debate on transport is centrally a debate over the futures of the city. Join us for an open discussion, and what will hopefully be an animated conservation with:
1. AGK Menon – Introduction
2. Madhu Kishwar – Planning for Street Life
3. Romi Roy – The Vision of UTTIPEC and Guidelines for Street Design
4. Manit Rastogi – Nallahs as Urban Connectors
5. Sandeep Gandhi -A Bicycle Master Plan for Delhi
6. AGK Menon – A Traffic Management Plan for the MCD Civic Centre Precinct
