Buses provide the bulk of public transport services in many Indian cities. Its share in daily travel in bigger cities can be as high as 40-60 per cent. Cities are looking at bus transport reforms to reduce auto mobile dependence, congestion, and pollution. Cities like Delhi are setting such high targets as 80 per cent public transport share by 2020, but such a goal can be met only if bus transport is scaled up.

CSE’s clean air and urban mobility team organized a workshop ‘Our Right of Way: Walk and Cycle’ in New Delhi on March 22, 2012. This discussion forum included participants from all the key organsiations, stakeholders, civil society representatives, policy makers bicycle industries, cycle clubs and regulators. All witnessed the different source of knowledge at one go from different stakeholders.

Parking pricing strategies are essential tools for bringing about a balance in the modal split between private vehicles and the public transport by influencing the traveller’s choice. High congestion levels are due to the travellers’ preference for the private mode of transport. Therefore, in order to bring about a better modal split balance, it becomes imperative to improve the public transit quality and also to charge a fee in the form of congestion fee or parking fee in order to check the growing congestion.

This study provides detailed analysis of walking conditions in Indian cities. The analysis indicates that walkability is overlooked and undervalued in transport planning, and that improved walkability is justified for equity and efficiency sake.

It provides specific recommendations for improving walking conditions to address a variety of planning objectives.