The Challenge of Achieving Sustainable Mobility in the Cities of South Asia

Abstract

The world's countries have committed to assure by 2030 reliable mobility to all, even in the largest cities. Review of experience of three fastest-growing cities in South Asian countries underlines reforms that will need to be applied very widely: more private-vehicle restrictions in dense zones, and reservation of some road-lanes for bus use; rapid expansion of metro/bus systems, with service franchises subject to periodic open competition; integration of land-use and transport planning, at street and city level; active collaboration of the planners with developers and builders; activation of competitive building of affordable housing; radical improvement of land market functioning; modernization of traditional building-height restrictions to encourage greater variation, against appropriate payment to the state; increased provision and maintenance of pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure and safety; and consideration of tolling use of private vehicles for journeys that would otherwise be undertaken by mass transit.