By Col Mukesh Pokhriyal (Retd)
Like master, like donkey! The idiom in many ways summarises the chaotic state of Uttarakhand, since year 2000. For erstwhile UP hills’ paharis of all hues – Guptas, Khannas, Chhetris, D’Souzas, Alis, Rawats, Sundriyals, Shahs, Chauhans, etc., Dehradun echoed pride and a sense of ownership. The natives of UP hills, of which Dehradun was a part back then, had their own gentle ways of nurturing nature and living in complete harmony, epitomising the traditional culture and concept of Tapovan, Mahavana and Sreevan. The relationship between humanity, nature and spiritual realm thrived by respecting boundaries.
The birth of Uttarakhand state led to raising of institutions and organisations whose mandate was to ensure thorough planning and its effective implementation. Instead, these very organisations and institutions started competing against each other to prove the statement – honesty is a lack of opportunity – as hundred percent correct! The outcome of twenty-five years of blatant systemic corruption is in front of all of us. Total chaos on roads – be it Rajdhani Dehradun or far-flung areas of Chardhams. The unplanned, unregulated organic growth of settlements without any basic infrastructure in place, has added to the woes of ‘jal, jungle, jameen’. Water sources, natural springs, water bodies have been destroyed. Forests denuded. Land encroached for concrete jungles. And this madness continues unabated. The perennial under construction Char Dham All Weather Road, since 2016, is already proving counter-productive. Add to it, the ropeways – some ongoing and others proposed. At what ecological and environmental costs? What good these elevated roads, four, six or eight lane highways or e-ways will bring about, when the various destinations in the hills, itself have very limited carrying capacity, with absolutely no basic infrastructure. Grandiose plans of tunnel roads, elevated corridors and skydecks dominate the discourse, while basics are ignored. The loss of green belt, reserved forests to facilitate all this meaningless concretisation is colossal.
World over, the urban-rural development is based on effective connectivity through public transport systems. Urban planners internationally view pedestrian infrastructure as non-negotiable. Footpaths, cycling tracks, crossings and public transport are treated as core infrastructure and not optional add-ons. Unfortunately, in Uttarakhand the focus is diametrically opposite.
So, what’s the way forward? Leadership matters – Paris’s shift towards a fifteen minute city under Mayor Anne Hidalgo demonstrates what autonomy and vision can achieve. Uttarakhand needs leaders who can look beyond their nose. Exemplary persons of impeccable integrity, having the moral spine to get the administrators rolling on mission mode. Those who have the capability and capacity to steer and reduce the gap between smart city ambitions and lived reality. The core problem is that roads are engineered for vehicles, not humans. Attempts to redesign roads without prioritising pedestrians are a fundamental part of the problem. This concretisation in Uttarakhand will not provide any viable long-term solution but for ecological and environmental degradation. It will only lead to over-engineered and under-designed cities and towns. The model must prioritise pedestrians first, public transport next and private cars last. Walkability cannot exist without public transport. Parking adequacy enhances as well as improves walking space. Seal all complexes that have either turned basement parking into shops and stores or do not have parking provision. Clear all roads from encroachments and ensure right of way. Spruce up existing roads. Do not make bitumen laying a money spinner. Barricades, diversions and dug up roads have become the defining landscape of Dehradun, turning every commute into a daily assault on time and sanity. The city appears trapped in perpetual construction. The comprehensive mobility plan must focus on non-motorised transport. The emphasis must be on high share of trips by walking, cycling and public transport.
Road widening and vehicle oriented projects absorb significant capital expenditure, diluting the impact of sustainability focused investments. The plans on new elevated roads within Dehradun municipal limits, alternate multiple roads to Mussoorie and other destinations need to be revisited and course corrections applied, before it is too late. Instead, invest heavily in public transport. State politicians talk about grant of green bonus to Uttarakhand by the Centre. It is time to walk the talk. Why not take the lead and invest in electric buses to make Uttarakhand transport corporation hundred percent green? The proposed budget of Rs 6200 cr for Bindal and Rispana elevated roads in Dehradun, itself will cater for approximately 2480, 40-seater electric buses. 2500 electric buses will transform public transport in the entire Dehradun district. Funds or financing is not a problem, the will to do it is lacking. Good old days, the entire Dehradun city was serviced by city bus service, owned by UP Transport Corporation. Centre, UP and Uttarakhand governments may collaborate to extend the Delhi – Meerut RRTS up to Roorkee- Haridwar, with a spur up to Ganeshpur. New ISBTs and bus terminals away from city and town hubs should be created. Once a robust public transport system is established, move to the next phase of differential pricing. Introduce variable tolling zones where entry by private car or taxi costs more during peak rush hours – road use pricing based on distance that increases in highly congested corridors. Introduce high dynamic parking prices, increase municipal parking to discourage private car and taxi use. Incentivise use of public transport services by tourists, students, senior citizens and low income groups. Finally, limit daily state entry of fuel based vehicles, but for commercial goods trucks and buses. The concomitant effect will be, reduced carbon foot print, healthy AQI, more green cover, reduced traffic snarls. The concretisation model may do vikas of who’s who, for the commoner it is vinash.
